Hear My Fury
by MissMac
Summary: Sequel to Bent, not Broken. Melara escapes from a Game of Thrones only to be thrust into a War of Kings. Between the Northmen calling the child within her womb a bastard, Robb still wanting her to be his Queen, the threat of the Lannisters coming for her and hearing no word from Jaime, Melara has to find strength from the fury hidden within.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Disclaimer: I still do not own Game of Thrones or the Song of Ice and Fire Series.

Welcome, welcome. I really did try to stay away! I made it a week and a few days before the plot of the sequel consumed me. Never fear, sweet readers, I am here to give you the sequel that so many have asked for!

Enjoy!

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"She never did lose any memory did she, Jaime?" The mourning in Cersei's voice nearly pained Jaime as he stood with her staring at the Sisters preparing their eldest son for burial. Years ago, months even, Jaime would have only thought she mourned for her son, but he knew his twin was mourning for so much more. _She's lost her son, but also her control over me. Only Melara hold my heart now._

Melara had only left days ago but to Jaime it had felt like generations since he had last seen her shining eyes, her sweet smile, and felt her presence next to his. He nearly rode after her but when he had stared at his father he knew that Tyrion would not live longer than a day with the accusation of Joffrey's murder hanging over the dwarf. Jaime had faith that Melara would make it to Casterly Rock and settle there just fine, and then he would follow after her when his brother, once again, walked as a free man. He felt Cersei's hand cover his own and was caught with indecision on how he should respond. _Should I offer the comfort a brother would give? A lover? Should I shun her for her past crimes, or the future crimes she had been plotting to commit, against my wife? I should have left with Melara. I should have gone…I still can go._

Tyrion had requested a trial by combat but refused to name Jaime as his champion once he discovered that Ser Gregor Clegane had been chosen by Cersei. Instead Prince Oberyn Martell had faced the Mountain, and in losing had condemned Tyrion as well. Jaime had not bared witness to the fight, knowing that his hands would itch to be the one defending his brother, but heard that Gregor's victory had come at a price. The man's screams could be heard throughout the halls, even now, as the poison from Oberyn's spear slowly killed the beast of a man. _He deserves every moment of agony he receives. Just as the bastard who had raped Melara got what he deserved._ Jaime could not stop thinking of his wife, not that he tried. Cersei shifted her body closer to Jaime, but even that would not stop the thoughts of his wife from racing through his mind. _But I'm no better than a raper. I used her and brought her nothing but pain and misery. Gods why didn't I follow her?_ He clenched his hands into fists and Cersei mistook the tension in her brother for his answer to her question.

"Did the two of you think yourselves clever? The Knight and the Maiden Fair playing the Game of Thrones." Her tone had become bitter and she tightened the hand she had yet to remove from atop Jaime's. "But you two cannot play together anymore. You've gone and sent her off to the safety of Casterly Rock to reign over Lannisport as Lady Lannister and where she'll have your babies just as Father wanted. Is that why you did it, Jaime? Because Father commanded it? Or did you want her in your bed and be given more children? Were our three not good enough for you?" He pulled his hand out from her grip and pushed away from the ledge her had been leaning on. He didn't know when his own bitterness had formed for his sister, perhaps it had always been there he just mistook the strong feelings he had for his sister to be love. A boy so young, with no way to know what love felt like, was easily swayed. But a man, changed by the love of a woman, had new convictions that ran deep.

"It was their mother that was not good enough for me." His anger had fueled his words, but that did not make them any less true. He saw just how deep his words had cut his sister plainly on Cersei's face, but Jaime had was used to seeing that look on people's faces when he had said something particularly insensitive. He should have felt some pity, should have felt _anything_, but Jaime had become numb the moment he let Melara leave him. And he would stay that way until she was back in his arms. _Tonight I will free Tyrion. Tonight I will leave, as I should have done days ago._ With that thought in mind, Jaime turned his back on his sister and his family. Her heard Cersei shouting at him to come back, and knew that she must be gaining attention from the Silent Sister attending to the fallen boy-king. He could imagine her throwing something at them before turning away to find someone to bring to her bed to make herself feel powerful, in control of things. There was a time when that would have been Jaime, but that time was before Melara.

Jaime had readied everything he would need for his journey to Casterly Rock before setting out for the dungeons where Tyrion was held. He dismissed the guards, not wanting the following conversation to be relayed to his father or Cersei or whoever was paying the guards to be their ears. Only once he was alone with his brother did he sit on the dirty floor with his back resting against the cool bars, his face hidden from Tyrion in the low light. He heard his brother rouse behind him and Jaime already hung his head in shame before he even began to speak. The Imp noticed his brother's dour mood but attributed it to the fact that Oberyn had not been victorious.

"Brother, how nice of you to join me on my last night."

"Yes. The _good _brother that I am." Tyrion came to stand just to the right of where Jaime's back rested, putting his hands through the bars and picking dirt from beneath his fingernails.

"No, a good brother would have brought a woman for me." Jaime let out a scoff at his brother's jovial nature but the Imp continued. "I would have liked one more woman before they take my head. I even told that guard if he brought one for me he could watch. For a moment I was worried he would agree." Jaime interrupted his brother before Tyrion could continue, his voice nearly drowned out by the echoing screams of who he assumed was Gregor Clegane.

"They aren't taking your head." Jaime slid two keys between the bars, just beside Tyrion's foot. "These will get you out of here, but you'll have to get yourself out of the Keep. One for the cell, one for the big door." Tyrion covered the keys with his foot and pulled them farther away from the light, cautious of someone entering.

"You were always the only one who saw me for more than my size." Tyrion's voice had become serious, his whisper matching Jaime's. The Imp pulled his hand back into his cell only to place it on the shoulder of his older brother. "If I am caught I won't tell a soul it was you who helped me escape."

"It won't matter. Once I leave you here tonight, I'm getting on my horse and not looking back." Jaime lifted his head but did not look at his brother yet. "I'll ride to Casterly Rock, to Melara, and then we will go somewhere…anywhere. The Free Cities might be the safest." He felt Tyrion's hand squeeze his shoulder, but wasn't sure if it was from thanks, acknowledgement or encouragement. Jaime didn't see the smile on the Imp's face, nor did he see the shake of his head that accompanied it.

"No, you won't. Oh, you'll ride to Lannisport, but you won't take your fair Lady to the Free Cities. You are a fool for that woman, but even she will not keep you from the duty you feel to you family." Tyrion wanted to prove his point by saying that instead of Jaime leaving with Melara, he remained behind with his family. Jaime spoke before he could continue.

"You were a fool for a woman, once." The smile drained from Tyrion's face and it seemed that Jaime's words had silenced even Gregor's screams. Jaime wanted to tell Tyrion the truth behind his first marriage before he left that night. Jaime feared that once he left his brother, he would not see him for quite some time, their lives taking them down different paths. If he had learned one thing from his wife, it was that unspoken secrets only made him feel guiltier each passing day but once they were spoken there was still hope to build a relationship back. He hoped that with time his brother would forgive him and their brotherly bond could grow together once more, just as he hoped he could mend his marriage, once again, with Melara. He stood and faced Tyrion then, and looked him straight in the eyes as he told Tyrion the truth about Tysha. It hurt, oh how it hurt, to see every emotion pass through the dwarf's eyes, but Tyrion's silence after Jaime had finished is what cut the most. Jaime turned to walk away, giving his brother words of farewell. Tyrion did not speak until Jaime's hands were on the large door that would lead him back into the halls of the Red Keep. Jaime halted as Tyrion's voice reached his ears.

"You have been lying to me all of these years, every day you have lived with this and you _chose_ not to tell me. I would expect it from Cersei or Father, but not from you, Jaime. One day, I will have my retribution on you all." Jaime thought that he was done speaking and pushed the heavy door open but paused, once again, when Tyrion continued. "Protect your little wife, brother, for it is always the ones we hold dear that will be used against us." Jaime left him then, knowing that his words, spoken as a threat, were the truth. He walked with purpose to his horse and mounted, his feet were barely secured in the stirrups before he urged his horse into a gallop. He tore through the streets of King's Landing, his desperation to see that Melara was alive and safe eating away at his mind.

Over the time that it took for Jaime to reach Casterly Rock he had come to the realization of how stupid he had been to send Melara off, even with Brienne at her side to protect her. His mind showed him thousands of different things that could have happened to her, each more horrible than the last. His body had become so tense with worry that he nearly cried when he finally dismounted near the familiar stables of the fortress he called home. The sun had set hours ago and it took a moment for the stable hands to realize that Lord Jaime had arrived. He did not wait for them to grovel and he pushed passed anyone else that tried to stop him, his goal being the room where his Lady should be. _Would be. She is here, she is safe._ He chanted the words like a mantra in his head until he burst through the door to find the Lady's chambers empty.

His mother's rooms had not been touched in years and Jaime knew then that his wife had never made it to Casterly Rock. He turned in the doorway as a page spoke his name. He didn't recognize the man but his father had appointed many new faces since he had last been to the fortress. Jaime questioned the page but he did not know where Melara could be, and confirmed that she had never set foot through the halls. Jaime didn't hear anything else the man may have said to him, too lost in his own thoughts. _I will find my wife, no matter the cost, and make things right._ If only Jaime knew then the price he would have to pay to be with Melara, he would have been able to prepare himself to pay the debts that he now owed.

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There you have it. What happened to Jaime after Melara left him. I would have made this chapter one but it was "the past" so I wanted it to be the prologue so that we can jump back in to the present for the rest of the story. Who will be the first reviewer? Who will be a reviewer at all? Leave me a welcome home…I mean…welcome back review!


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Wow. I woke up to so many e-mail notifications this morning that I thought it was a prank, and then they just kept coming throughout the day! I got warm fuzzies from your reviews, and favorite-ing and alerting and reading. Thank you!

Enjoy!

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Melara aimlessly wandered alone through the halls in the early morning hours, as was becoming her routine lately. _The halls may be quite now, but in a few short hours I will have to lock myself away so no one can see me._ Catelyn had advised her to stay hidden more and more as her belly grew. Melara had taken the advice, but the longer she stayed in her rooms alone with her thoughts the more tears she shed. At first she had taken to pacing the length of her room, back and forth and back again like a caged animal until her mind would allow her to finally sleep. But lately she had been roaming the halls until she felt so tired she would nearly crawl into bed. _At least the fatigue has become bearable now._

When she had first arrived at the Twins she was only starting to feel the onset of fatigue, but explained it away as normal exhaustion from her travel. _And a broken heart._ Brienne had decided that they would be returning to Lady Catelyn instead of traveling to Lannisport, and Melara had not put up a fight. If Jaime had loved her, _truly_ loved her, he would have left King's Landing by her side and not sent her off with only Brienne at her side. _Has it really been five months since I last saw him?_ Melara absentmindedly rubber her stomach as she thought of Jaime. _Does he even think of me? Does he even know that I never set foot in Casterly Rock?_ Melara had tortured herself with these questions whenever her sickness came. For the most part she had suffered alone, fearing what would happen should anyone know of her condition. When she did not leave her bed for days at a time, apart from relieving her bladder or spewing out her stomach's contents, Catelyn had suspected something was wrong.

Melara had stopped trying to hold in her tears after that day when Lady Stark had come to her and spoke the words that Melara had feared. _Pregnant. With Jaime Lannister's child._ She found herself walking towards the kitchens, as was also becoming a routine as of late, and didn't realize how hungry she was until the fading aroma of food hit her nose. She pushed the door open and saw that she wasn't the only one who was not able to sleep. Arya sat at a small round table, an assortment of breads and cheese in front of her, and Melara could see the girl carving the wood with a small dagger. She had often caught Arya carving names into tables but had never thought to ask for her reasons. _They don't speak of my past and I don't speak of theirs._ It was an unspoken rule between Arya, Catelyn and Melara that the past was too painful and confusing to try and discuss. But it had been hard for Melara to leave the past behind when she now carried a constant reminder within her womb.

"Is he hungry again?" Arya nodded her head towards Melara's stomach, which had only just begun to swell within the last few weeks, indicating she meant the unborn child. Melara tried to smile in response to the young girl's question, she really tried, but she just could not. Catelyn explained that her mood would be untamed and that she would be going through many changes as the babe grew. _Gods, I hate this all._ Melara hated what she was becoming because of her pregnancy, and then she hated _herself _for blaming an unborn innocent child for her situation. She was filled with so much hate and anger and sadness that there was little room for any other emotion. Melara walked to the chair and grabbed a large piece of bread as she sat next to Arya. Just a few weeks ago she hadn't been able to stomach food but now it seemed her hunger had returned tenfold. Arya took hold of a bowl of cheese and offered it to Melara. "Does he want cheese?"

"Why are you and your mother so insistent that I carry a boy?" Melara accepted the bowl but put it down on the table in front of her, keeping her attention focused on the youngest, and only remaining, Stark girl. _So much death surrounds me. _Arya shrugged her shoulders and returned her gaze to the names she had carved into the wood. She traced her finger over the name 'Cersei' as she spoke.

"Mother said that a boy would bring more trouble, since Lord Tywin and your father would want him, so it would make sense that the Gods give you a boy." Melara had to agree with Arya. A male would cause both of the boy's grandfathers to stop at nothing to procure their heir. Melara took large bites from her piece of bread to calm her nerves at the thought of what would happened once the child was born. "But I hope it is a girl." A frightening smile passed over Arya's lips and Melara thought the smile belonged on a murderous man not a young girl. "You could name her Lyanna, after my aunt. Cersei would hate it." Melara felt a flutter in her stomach when Arya had mentioned the Queen. She didn't know what it meant, if it was a feeling of fear or jealously or hatred. _No. I won't be like them. I won't hate Cersei like she hates me._ She ignored the feeling and instead focused on Arya. When the two of them were sitting with each other, Melara could almost imagine that the past year or so had not happened. But then she would see Arya's chopped hair or touch her growing belly and the illusion would be shattered. "What do you want?"

"What?" Melara was startled by the strange question. What did she want? She wanted to lock herself in her room. She wanted Jaime by her side. She wanted to cry and scream and pull her hair out until everything was right again. She wanted many things, but Melara knew that she would not get what she wanted. Arya had turned her grey eyes to look up at the older girl, the movement breaking Melara out of her thoughts.

"A girl or a boy? What do you want?" Melara wanted to say neither. _I spent all those years praying before the Heart Tree that the Old Gods would grant me the ability to have children. But now that it has happened, I want them to take it back._ She knew that if things were different she would have made a wonderful mother and fell in love with her unborn child the moment her pregnancy was confirmed. She would have been crying tears of joy instead of tears of shame. But as it were, the child she carried now would only be seen as a Lannister bastard, especially in the company of the Northmen, and she would be seen as nothing but a whore. _I might as well become one. No man will take me for a wife._ In truth, Melara didn't _want_ a man to take her for a wife. She already had a husband, no matter if no others saw their marriage as a true one. She toyed with the ring on her finger that she had yet to remove and watched the candlelight play off the blue stones as she answered Arya's question.

"I haven't really thought of it."

"You're lying." Arya responded quickly, but Melara knew the changed girl would see through the weak lie and was not surprised at the accusation. She continued to stare at one of the last things that she still had that bound her to Jaime and the fluttering sensation returned to her stomach. "You don't have to lie to me, you know. You never used to…" Arya trailed off as she saw Melara's tears, not sure if she had caused them or not. _She's crying a lot now. Just like back in Winterfell._ Arya's earliest memories were of Melara crying into Catelyn's arms and now her memories seemed to be repeating themselves. Melara sniffled a bit and took in a shaky breath before responding, exhaustion lacing her voice.

"I know. I'm just too scared to speak the truth still. Things were so different in King's Landing, surrounded by the Lannisters."

"It's been months, Melara. And you aren't the only one who had to lie and be surrounded by people who wanted you dead." Melara finally broke her stare from the sapphires on her finger and met Arya's eyes. The girl's words had made Melara feel guilty and selfish, the same feelings she felt when Catelyn spoke of the blessing from the Gods that children were. _Except bastards like Jon Snow…and the babe within me._ Melara placed her hand over her stomach and it did not go unnoticed by Arya. "Are you going to raise that child to be a liar, likes the Lannisters? Or raise it the way Mother and Father raised you?" Arya sounded so much older than she was, but Melara guessed that seeing the things the girl had seen would make anyone grow fasters than their years. She heard from Catelyn the journey that Arya had taken over the past year and was not surprised at the bravery and strength the girl possessed. _And here I sit, traumatized over what? Being made to marry a man I loved? Love? Gods, it's all so confusing._ One thing Melara was not confused about is how her child would be raised. She would raise it to be nothing like the Lannisters or the Baratheons. She would raise her child like a Stark, honest and honorable.

"I'm sorry, Arya. You are right." Melara extended her hand to push Arya's shoulder length hair behind her ear. "We should speak the truth and accept the consequences rather than rely on deceit and lies." Arya nodded her head in agreement, causing her wild hair to spill over her ear once more. _Her hair is as uncooperative and untamed as she is._ Melara felt the corners of her mouth rise. _My sweet Arya. Always the light in my darkness._ She stood from her chair, food forgotten, and took up post behind Arya. She combed her fingers through the girl's hair and began to separate sections so that she could plait it. Arya didn't protest, knowing that they would both find comfort in the familiar activity. Melara's voice broke the silence that had fallen between them. "Will you come to bed with me?" Arya nodded, the motion causing her hair to slip through Melara's fingers. Melara shook her head as she spoke. "What are we to do with your hair?"

"I like it." Arya stood and the two girls cleared the table, erasing any sign that they had ever been there. "It's so much easier to be a boy than it is a girl. I had a Needle that I didn't have to use for sewing, like I did in Winterfell with Sansa…" Arya had shed no tears since her arrival at the Twins, not even for her fallen family, but that didn't mean the girl had not been mourning. Melara put her arm around Arya's shoulders and gave the girl a slight embrace. Arya turned so that Melara could fully hold her, the girl tall enough so that her head rested against Melara's breast. She grimaced through the soreness the extra weight caused and held Arya tightly in her arms. _I won't push her away if she comes to me for comfort. Just as Sansa had for the short days we were together._ Melara still blamed herself for Sansa's death, even when Catelyn had told her there was no way she could have prevented it. _How will I protect my own child from all the threats that follow me?_

With heavy thoughts on their minds the girls walked together back to Melara's room, passing only guards stationed throughout the halls. A few of them had nodded their heads at Arya, but they were mostly ignored by the silent men. Melara didn't mind the lack of attention, the less people who looked at her the less of a chance that someone would notice her changing body. Arya pulled back the sheets on the bed once they had entered the simple room, holding only a bed and a small table with three chairs. Melara shut the door behind her but did not lock it as she had in King's Landing. _The threats may be greater now, but they come from outside the walls and not within._ She joined Arya on the bed and was surprised when the girl asked her to sing. Her voice was small, almost timid, as if she was embarrassed to ask.

"Like you used to. Back in Winterfell?" Arya curled up beside her as Melara's sweet, soft voice filled the small room, her hand stroking the short length of Arya's hair. She knew that she couldn't sing songs of love or joy, her thoughts only hanging on her sadness and loneliness and Jaime. So instead Melara sang her own thoughts. She sang the words to Jaime, as if he were standing before her. _But he never will. As long as I stay hidden away in a tower by Catelyn, he won't come around here._

"Every now and then I get a little bit lonely but you're never coming around. Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sounds of my tears." And it was true. Melara had been shut away with her tears day after day and night after night since she discovered her pregnancy. As she sang, she realized that the only one who could save her from her tears was herself. There was no Renly, no Loras, no Jaime.

"Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of my years have gone by." She recalled the way she had felt since she left Winterfell. While she was terrified of her death, ashamed of the things she had done and thrown about from place to place, she had also grown and loved and found a strength and power within her she didn't know was there. She would have to find it once again.

"Every now and then I get a little bit terrified that I'll never see the look in your eyes." Melara had struggled for the month long journey she had taken to get to the Twins to accept that she may never see Jaime again. Brienne had told her it was dangerous to love in times of war and that Jaime would have a better chance of dying than finding her hiding amongst the Starks. She knew that Brienne spoke the words not as a threat, but only to make Melara see the truth.

"Every now and then I fall apart. And I need you now, tonight. And I need you more than ever. And if you'll only hold me tight, we'll be holding on forever. And we'll only be making it right, we'll never be wrong together." Melara saw that Arya had fallen asleep, the girl being more tired than she would admit. It felt nice to sleep next to someone to keep the empty feeling of loneliness away. Melara felt her own eyes become heavy with sleep and her mind allowed her to drift off into the land of dreams where it was Jaime who lay next to her, where it was Jaime who protected her.

Melara did not sleep long, her bladder waking her just a few hours after she had closed her eyes. The sun was shining in through the cracks of the fabric that covered the window indicating that the morning was still new. Melara was able to uncurl Arya's body from around her with the girl only waking slightly.

"Go back to sleep, Sweetling." Arya's eyes closed once more and Melara went to relieve her very full bladder only when she knew the girl would go back to sleep. Once she had straightened her skirts she had intended to return to bed, but instead found herself with a sudden want for peaches. The craving made her feel as if she hadn't eaten in days, when in truth it had only been a few hours before she had snacked on the bread. She began the short trek to the kitchens, still in the dress she had worn the day before, and was surprised by the amount of activity. Men and women alike seemed to be running past her, shouting orders at each other that echoed off the great stone walls. Melara felt a slight panic, thinking that the Twins were under attack. She stopped a young girl, maybe six or seven years, who carried an armful of blankets and asked her what had caused the thrum of activity.

"It's the King, milady. Word came that 'e's comin'. Be 'ere by supper, they said." Melara nodded dumbly at the news as the girl's mother beckoned her. The girl gave an awkward curtsey and walked away, leaving Melara to wonder what would happen to her once Robb arrived. _Gods, does he still love me? Surely once he knows of the child he will throw me aside._ Her hands went to her stomach on instinct, as they did whenever she thought of her unborn babe. _Will they even allow my child to live? 'Bastard spawn' I've heard the men say. Will Robb be swayed by the call of his Northmen to kill their enemy's child?_ Melara stood for a moment in the hallway, the people moving around her, and felt a resolve building. She loved Jaime and some part of him loved her, and this child was a sign of that. She felt a flutter beneath her fingers, it was as if the child was trying to earn her love in that moment and caused the sensation. Tears sprung to her eyes, tears of shame at the thoughts she had about her child. _No. The Gods granted me this baby and no man will take it from me. Not while there is breath in my lungs and strength in my limbs._ A fierce urge to protect was begin to speak within her as Melara made her way to the kitchens with her head high._ A good few hours rest was all I need to clear my thoughts._ It was as if she could feel her strength growing within her, just as the child was_. _She would meet Robb head on, just as she would face the men who called her child a bastard. But not before she had eaten her fill of peaches.

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The lyrics that Melara sings are based off of Total Eclipse of the Heart, made famous by Bonnie Tyler. I tend to listen to certain songs to be able to write the correct "tone" for each chapter. I was listening to that song while typing this and it just sort of molded itself into the chapter. I have put a link in my profile if you'd like to have it playing while you read this. Music inspires me almost as much as your kind reviews. Yeah, we are jumping right into the action on this story, hope you all don't mind…


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Thank you for the reviews and reading and favorite-ing and alerting! Sorry about the lateness of this chapter!

Enjoy!

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Melara sat alone in her room watching out her window as the army descended upon the Twins. They were still too far for her to make our Robb amongst the mass of grey and brown and blue, but she saw the direwolf banners scattered throughout, signally the King in the North had returned. Melara had declined when Catelyn had requested that she receive Robb that evening, finding it highly inappropriate. Catelyn had insisted but Melara stood her ground, telling the older woman that she would prefer to see Robb in private rather than make a spectacle of herself. Melara had placed her left hand over her belly, bringing Catelyn's attention to both the babe and the ring. Catelyn had given a nod, her lips pulled into a thin line, and excused herself then.

A series of heavy knocks rapped on her door and Melara pulled her robe tighter around her form as she crossed the short distance to the door. She opened it expecting to see Catelyn, come to take her to greet Robb against her wishes, but instead she saw the Hound holding a struggling Arya. The Hound released Arya into the room, giving her a push that was a bit rougher than necessary. He turned and walked away without a word of explanation to the bewildered Melara. She turned towards Arya, who was rubbing the place of her arm where the Hound had been holding her, and questioned the girl.

"What did you do to him this time?" Melara noticed the dagger that Arya usually carried with her was now missing from the sheath. She closed the door and placed her back against it, her head falling back and eyes closing. "Gods be good, Arya. Did you try to slit his throat while he was sleeping again?"

"No…" Melara opened her eyes and stared at the rough stone above her, imagining all the things that Arya could have tried to do to the Hound and what the man would do when his patience was no more. Her mind showed her an image of the large man tearing Arya limb from limb and shuddered at the thought. "I set his horse loose." Melara snapped her head so that she could level Arya with a glare. _Does the girl have no fear? Is it bravery or is it stupidity that she shows?_ Melara knew that the two were closely related, and hoped that she would be brave and not stupid when she met with Robb later. Arya continued, moving to sit on the bed as she spoke. "I did it for Mycah. You probably don't even remember him, do you?" Melara softened her features and joined Arya on the bed, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders.

"The butcher's boy…From the Kingsroad." Arya did not smile or nod her head, but just continued on as if she had not heard Melara.

"That horse ran him down but it was the Hound that killed Mycah." Melara couldn't believe the way that Arya spoke of the incident as if it had happened only moments ago. _She must still linger on the past._ Melara knew that Arya could hold a grudge, but was still surprised to hear the aggression laced in the girl's words. "He couldn't run down anyone else without his horse." Melara shook her head at the logic of the young girl.

"Arya, he only did it because the Queen ordered it of him." Arya stood and slowly made her way to look out the window, taking up the same position Melara had been in moments before. She continued to speak to Arya but did not stand from the bed, the beginnings of exhaustion taking over her body. "He hasn't killed one Stark man since he has been staying here. He _brought you_ back to your mother. No one told him to do those things, he-"

"So with each good deed the Hound has done we should praise him and forget all the death and pain he has caused?" Arya whipped her body around to face Melara, a look on her face as if she had just discovered a secret. "Is that what you did with Jaime Lannister?" Melara's hands gripped the blankets she sat upon, not liking where their conversation was going. She had an urge to scream at the girl, but restrained herself enough to only speak the girl's name in warning.

"Arya…"

"I don't understand how you can just forgive men like the Hound and the Kingslayer. Both of them would kill Robb if they had the chance, cut his head off just like—" Melara knew she was about to say 'like Father's was'. Arya paused for a moment, but continued when she had focused her thoughts once more. "Would you forgive Jaime Lannister if he killed my brother? How many _good deeds_ would it take for you to run back to him?" Melara stood then, her fists clenched at her sides, and Arya could see that she had pushed too far. "Melara, I—" Melara spoke through clenched teeth, feeling her inner fury take over her.

"No. You've said it. You are right. We should condemn anyone who has caused someone pain or death or sadness." She didn't know why Arya's words about running back to Jaime had angered her. _I'm not running back to anyone. I can't run back to anyone. _Melara paused a moment, closing her eyes and taking in a deep calming breath through her nose. _Arya is just so young and stubborn. She doesn't see that people are neither all good nor all bad, and she doesn't care to see the reasons a man would do the thing he does. _She opened her eyes and saw that Arya had not moved and didn't even look like Melara's words had even affected her. Melara relaxed enough to soften her jaw, and her voice. "If we all held the same hatred towards men that you do because they have killed, we would have to hate Robb as well."

"He's doing it to avenge Father's death."

"Tell that to the mothers and wives and children of the men who died fighting for the Lannisters. I'm sure that they will understand that an entire war was for one man's vengeance, why thousands of men have died. You are too quick in your judgment of men." Melara walked to the small table next to the window and poured herself a cup of water. Catelyn had insisted that wine would help her relax but Melara found the drink too sweet, and had yet to touch wine after her last experience with it. _I was surrounded by Starks then, too. _She took a drink of her water, and Arya took advantage of her silence.

"And you are not quick enough. If you would have seen the Kingslayer for who he truly is, you would not have gone through what you did." Melara did not believe that. She would have gone through the same trials, just with a less cooperative Jaime. _She doesn't know who Jaime truly is. Gods, do I know who he truly is? I once thought I did._ Melara wondered if there was any truth to Arya's words. She set her now empty cup down as the younger girl continued to speak her mind. "You are just like Sansa. If she would have listened to me about Joffrey then she would still be alive. If she would have seen the truth, like I did, she would be here now. You are both blind and you can't see anyone for the evil people they are." Arya voice cracked a bit, but she showed no other sorrow as she spoke of Sansa.

Melara saw that Arya was expressing her grief through anger at her fallen sister. Melara put a hand on the girl's shoulder, hoping to comfort her. Arya shrugged away the older girl's touch, and Melara knew that their shaky alliance they had been building was starting to crack. _Gods, I hope this isn't a sign for what is to come._ Melara put her hand on Arya's shoulder once more, her grip a bit harder than before.

"Arya, we are all blind to the things we don't want to see. Even you. You don't want to see the good in people, just as I can't see the bad."

"Can't or won't?" Melara knew that Arya was right, but was not ready to admit one of her many faults. She had no desire to argue anymore, feeling as if all the strength had left her body and she wanted only to fall into her bed and sleep for hours. Melara gave Arya's shoulder a small squeeze before removing her hand. She met the girl's stubborn eyes and saw that there would be no way she could convince Arya of anything. _She's too stubborn, just as I am too naïve._

"We all can't be strong like you, Arya." She looked from Arya as the sounds of the approaching army drifted in through the window. From where she stood, she could see that Robb would not be arriving for a few more hours. Melara expressed her desire to sleep and Arya nodded her head and left without another word. Melara moved to stare out the window once more, her hands gripping the ledge and feeling the hard surface beneath. She saw thousands of men before her, and knew that each of them would challenge her loyalties over the next hours. _I can't stand my ground against Arya, and she's only a girl. How am I to survive through this night?_

She turned away from the daunting sight of the army and made her way into bed. Once she had lain down onto her back she could see the rounding of her stomach become more pronounced. She set her hands atop the babe that lay within and closed her eyes, trying to imagine what he or she may look like. Images of her cousins flashed before her eyes, knowing that they were truly from Jaime's seed, and a hurt settled into her heart. _Cersei will always have a hold over him, because of the children they share. Even if he knew of this child, would he care? He's already been given three bastards. _

The rumors of her pregnancy had been spreading for the last week throughout the Twins, even as they had been trying to hide it, and most already knew that it was Jaime Lannister's child she carried. The first time she had heard the phrase 'Lannister bastard' come from a guards mouth, she had assumed they were speaking of Joffrey or Tommen. When she discovered they spoke of her child, she knew that it would not be the first time her child would be named as such. _And now with an army of Northmen arriving I will hear it more._ Her stomach clenched at the thought of the look on Robb's face when his mother told him. She was thankful for sleep coming to her quickly, pulling her away from the thoughts and images that only caused her tears. She would not wake until a few hours later, a heavy fist pounding on her door.

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Although Jaime was glad to have left Casterly Rock, and the ghosts of his past, he was not happy with his current…_assignment._ He was also less than pleased with his current company. _Surrounded by burnt ruins and turncloaks. Isn't this lovely._ He took around his surroundings and scoffed thinking of his father sitting in the meagerly furnished room. While it did have a bed, two tables with chairs and a receiving room, the Lannister patriarch would have found it too simple to stay for long. _And how long does he expect me to stay here?_

Tywin had sent a raven to Jaime that he was to go to Harrenhal to regroup with Roose Bolton and any other survivors from the betrayal of Robb Stark. He had ignored his father's command for a few weeks and instead traced the path that Melara would have traveled to get to Casterly Rock. He stopped at every inn, village, brothel and Keep from Lannistport to Golden Tooth asking of a young black haired girl traveling with a brutish woman. He heard not even a rumor of where the pair could be and instead of heading to King's Landing, Jaime followed his father's wishes. He knew that he would have men at his disposal that he could send out as spies once he arrived in Harrenhal and it would help him find Melara that much faster.

When he sent out the first round of men to gather information it had already been weeks since he left Lannisport, months since he had been with his wife. They had returned with rumors of Tyrion's escape and Tywin's murder attempt, as well as Robb Stark's victories, but no news of Melara. The second wave of scouts he sent had not returned at all, either deserted or killed Jaime never found out. It was finally the third group where one of the men had returned with a rumor of a girl, who had to be Melara, traveling with a brutish woman, who had to be Brienne, with the Northern Army headed for the Twins. Two weeks ago he had sent four men to the Twins upon hearing the news that his wife may be in the hands of the Starks once more. One of the men ridden in moments ago and was currently being brought before Jaime.

He stood in the center of the receiving area in his rooms and tried not to pace, just as the lions below Casterly Rock would. Just as his feet started to move, a knock rang out on his door. It opened before he could answer and revealed a balding man in his forties with eerie pale eyes. _And Roose arrives._ Jaime had never taken much notice to the Boltons before, the Dreadfort being farther north than Jaime cared to be, but since he had arrived in Harrenhal he had been in close quarters with the Head of the Boltons, learning their Northern tactics and cruel ways. Jaime could almost envision the cold man before him as he flayed his enemies and wore their skin as a cloak, a trophy. _Disgusting. Why Father sees fit to align himself with these men I will never know._

A man, blonde of hair, followed Roose into the room and stopped just feet before the place where Jaime stood. _Not a man, a boy. This war is being fought by boys, not men. Even a boy sits on the throne._ He had gotten word that Tommen was placed on the throne and married to Margaery Tyrell just days after Joffrey had died. _Cersei's hold over Westeros is crumbling, just as her hold over me has crumbled._ Tywin had been near death from an attack on his life, but he had too much pride to be killed. Jaime nearly laughed picturing the maester who had been charged with healing his father, Cersei hovering over his back and Tywin barking commands at him. His attention was brought back to the men before him when he heard Roose speak his name.

"Tell Lord Jaime what you told me, boy." Although Roose spoke in a soft tone, the boy still seemed to be frightened of the man. _I don't blame the boy. He's no doubt heard what the Boltons do to their enemies._ The practice of flaying had been outlawed but with the war for the crown being the main focus of everyone's attention many lawbreakers were going unpunished. _Pure chaos. And what of the rumors of the Targaryen girl and her dragons? When I find Melara I am taking her far from Westeros, at least until this war has been settled. _Jaime hadn't believed the tales of dragons being reborn, he wasn't a superstitious man, but that didn't mean that Daenerys Targaryen wasn't a threat. There were many that were still loyal to the line of the Mad King, and if she ever came to power the first family to go would be the Lannisters. Especially Tywin and Jaime Lannister, the men indirectly responsible for her blood line running dry. The boy's shaky voice reached Jaime's ears, and he wondered how such a young boy had been tasked with something as important as infiltrating the enemy's Keep.

"I-I was jus' tellin' milord tha'—tha' the Northmen had nearly ten thousand men stayin' at the Twins. Robb Stark weren't there, but his Lady Mother and sister, they was. I didn' see 'em though, jus' 'eard the guards talkin' 'bout 'em." Jaime saw the boy become more nervous the longer he stayed in the presence of the two Lords. Jaime once against questioned how the boy survived long enough to be a scout.

"Go on, boy. Tell him so that he can send word to Lord Tywin." Jaime had given Roose a vague reason for sending so many different scouting parties to find Melara . He told the man that Tywin had wanted her to be found and to be brought back alive. In truth, Tywin had said nothing of Melara in any ravens that were sent, but Jaime was nearly a master at keeping secrets. He had given Roose the false reasons and he seemed to accept them without too many questions. The news of Jaime's marriage to Melara had spread throughout the Crownlands but had yet to reach the Riverlands, where Harrenhal lay, and Jaime was glad for the small blessing. While Roose did swear his fealty to Tywin, something about him made Jaime untrusting of the Bolton. _The less he knows about Melara, the better._ The boy nodded his head once and kept his eyes downcast, not meeting Jaime's stare.

"The Lady Melara is there, too. Didn' see 'er neither but…I 'eard some things."

"What things?" Jaime braced himself to hear the worst, knowing that the Gods were cruel to his little wife. The boy continued in his same hesitant tone, Brolton's stare never leaving the scout's face as he spoke.

"Milord, the Lady is wiff child. And they're sayin' it's yer bastard she carries." If the boy had spoken of more news, Jaime did not know. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart and all he could feel was the sweat on his palms as his mouth went dry.

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Next chapter…Robb confronts Melara! Oh man, that's going to be awkward! Also...should we see what Jaime's reaction is? Maybe we will...maybe we won't... Show me some love in the form of a review? They are so appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Sorry for the wait! To make it up to all of your lovely readers, here is a nice long chapter! Thank you for the support for this story!

Enjoy!

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Rebel. Traitor. Lord. King. _The Young Wolf._ When all of the titles had been stripped away all that was left was Robb Stark, a boy forced to turn into a man because of war and bloodshed. _He will always be my little boy._ Catelyn watched as her eldest, and only remaining, son dismounted his powerful steed and walked towards her. A chorus of shouts came from the men around her, all of them praising the King in the North. To anyone else he would look the part of the king, with his intimidating armor and the power that seemed to surround him now. But to Catelyn, she would only see the timid boy who hid behind her skirts when he was no taller than her knee. Catelyn's eyes traveled past her son's approaching form and scanned the mass of men behind him. _Gods be good, his army only continues to grow with each victory. _

In the short time that had passed since Robb left the Twins, it seemed the Gods wanted nothing but to bless him in battle, just as they had throughout the entire War. Catelyn nearly wondered if Ned was somehow watching over his son, guiding him into the battles that he would win and keeping him from the ones he would lose. _And without Petyr's warning, we would have all been dead._ She had not heard from Petyr since that raven had arrived, but knew that he would be in King's Landing and unable to freely send her messages. _As long as a Lannister sits on the Throne, none of us will ever be free. _She briefly thought of Melara and the child she now carried. Catelyn had no doubt that Tywin Lannister would want the child, should it be a male, if what Melara had told her was all truth.

The girl had told Catelyn of Tywin's quest for the Lannister name to live on no matter the outcome of the war. She would never admit that what Tywin had done, while unforgivable, was clever. Melara would be safe no matter the outcome of the War, and when Tywin had her married to Jaime it ensured any child born from their union would carry the Lannister name.

"Mother, Arya." Catelyn gave a warm smile to her son once he stood before her, Grey Wind at his side, but made no move to embrace him as she wanted to do. Many changes had come to Robb with his new titles, and one of them was the image he must uphold in front of his men. Catelyn remembered the way that Ned would act so cold and distant to her until they were behind their closed door, then he would be as warm to her as the fire in their hearth. Catelyn pushed thoughts of her husband from her mind to focus on her son, placing them back into her heart where she kept them.

"Where can a man take a bloody piss around here?" Catelyn looked past Robb and saw the Greatjon striding towards the front of the party that had accompanied Robb to the western tower of the Twins. He caught sight of Catelyn once he broke away from the crowd to stand by Robb. "Forgive me, my Lady."

"No, my Lord. I'm sure you all have traveled far and need…rest." She looked to Robb once more, seeing a slight smile on his face. _That's the boy I remember. Smiling amidst the trials he faces._ Catelyn wanted to wait until she was alone with Robb and he had been fed before telling him the news, so she addressed him once more. "We have prepared a feast for your arrival. Please, have your men go to the Hall for their supper. Some can cross the river and dine in the east tower as well." Robb gave Greatjon the commands and once he had shouted them out, the hundred or so men that had escorted Robb began to dismount as well, the rest of the army scattered about setting up tents. Before Catelyn could tell Robb to follow her, Brienne called to her. The Maid had ridden off to find Robb and join his army, proving herself to be a better fighter than bodyguard.

"Lady Catelyn."

"Is that _your _sword?" Arya spoke before her mother could respond, not that Catelyn could blame the girl. Her daughter had not been properly introduced to Brienne for fear that Arya would try to leave when the Maid rode out. Catelyn had been selfish and wanted Arya to stay with her now that she had been found.

"It is, my Lady."Brienne placed her hand around the hilt of the sword and pulled it out just enough so that the steel could be seen. Catelyn did not miss the look in Arya's eyes as the girl stared at Brienne. _I've nearly tried everything to quell the girl's rising anger. Brienne may be the way to bring back my once sweet Arya._

"I had a sword before. It was called N—"

"Needle." Brienne turned her body sideface to look at the boy that had spoken, giving Arya a view of him as well. She was slightly stunned for a moment, thinking that she would never see him again after they had parted.

"Gendry?" Catelyn watched as the boy gave Arya a mock bow before greeting her in return. He looked to be no older than Robb, and a striking resemblance to Renly Baratheon. _He and Melara could be twins._ Catelyn didn't remember Arya telling her about anyone names Gendry, and knew that she would have to find out who this boy was.

"Arya, would you show Brienne to her rooms? The one across from Melara's have been prepared for her." Catelyn stole a glance at Robb when she spoke Melara's name. She saw the flash of confusion in his eyes, and she realized that he had not known Melara was even there. Arya looked as if she was going to put up a protest, so Catelyn continued. "I'm sure you can find a room for your…" She looked to the boy, wondering what he was to her daughter.

"Gendry, milady."

"Yes, I'm sure we can find a suitable room for Gendry." Arya nodded and bid Gendry and Brienne to follow her. She did not look back to her mother as she walked away, and Catelyn had a strange feeling that soon she would be losing Arya once more.

Robb watched them leave as he offered his arm to his mother, and the pair walked amongst the crowd with the direwolf padding beside them. They spoke of trivial things, such as how they each were during the time that Robb was away, until they were within the castle walls. He had declined her offer of rest and instead Robb took his mother straight to the feast. Catelyn sat next to Robb at the head of the Hall, joined at the table by some of the more prominent Lords among Robb's Bannermen.

She stayed mostly silent over the next few hours and allowed the men to converse, sitting with her back straight and eyes alert for any danger. She watched at serving maids brought in barrel after barrel of wine and ale as the hours went by. The sun was just setting as Arya joined the feast with Gendry in tow, and Brienne trailing behind them. Catelyn watched as Arya sat to the side of the Hall, deep in conversation with the dark haired boy she seemed to know. While Arya had told her mother of her journey, Catelyn realized that it had been a vague retelling. _And now my sweet Arya has been replaced with a girl a barely even know. _Catelyn couldn't help but feel that her living children were slipping away from her, becoming people she didn't even recognize as her own sweet babes, and would soon be as lost to her as Bran, Rickon and Sansa were. She heard Greatjon Umber mention her husband and Catelyn focused on the man sitting across from her and Robb.

"That bastard got what was coming to him for what he did to Ned. That little shit-of-a-king." Catelyn saw him lean into the man sitting to his right, which she recognized as Smalljon Umber. "Heard it was that little Imp that did it. Kingslaying must be a family trait amongst the Lannisters." Catelyn tensed at the vague mention of Jaime Lannister. Robb still had not fully forgiven his mother for setting Jaime Lannister free, along with sending Melara away. Her thoughts of Melara made her wonder where the girl was for a moment, but then was thankful she had not made an appearance at the feast. _It would do no good for the Northmen to see her. Moreso now that she carries Jaime Lannister's child._ Catelyn cast a glance to where Arya was still seated, looking for the long black hair of Melara. The only black hair she saw by her daughter belonged to the boy that Arya had called 'Gendry'.Catelyn turned fully to Robb and spoke quietly to him, their conversation drowned out by Greatjon's much louder voice.

"What do you know about the boy sitting with Arya? Gendry, she called him." Robb gave a small shake of his head, his thick auburn hair catching the light of the fire. Catelyn vaguely wondered after her sister, Lysa, who had the same color hair as Robb. _Do I even dare sending her a raven?_ Robb turned his head in the direction that Arya sat before looking back to Catelyn.

"Don't know much. He's a bastard from King's Landing that Brienne found on her journey from the Twins to find us. Lousy with a sword, but you should see the boy with a hammer." Catelyn's eyebrows raised and she leaned forward to get a better look at Gendry. While he seemed to be strong and fit, she doubted he was as strong as Robert Baratheon had once been.

"That boy wields a war hammer just a Robert Baratheon did?" Robb gave off a laugh, the sound drawing some attention to their conversation. Catelyn sat back in her chair and waited for Robb to explain.

"A _smith's_ hammer, Mother. Someone paid for his apprenticeship to become a smith and he does have a skill."

"And where is the girl? I want to see if the rumors here are true!" Robb looked away from his mother and questioned the man. If he would have looked at his mother a moment longer, he would have seen the worry cross her features. _Gods be good, don't let him hear like this. _

"What girl?" Greatjon put his palms on the table and leaned towards his King. If he had tried to whisper he did not succeed, everyone at the main table heard what the large man had to say.

"Calling her the 'Lannister Whore' now. Such a shame they spoiled her, I heard she was a pretty little thing." Catelyn knew exactly who the men were talking of, and placed her hand on Robb's forearm in order to pull his attention away. He ignored his mother and asked again with more force to his voice, knowing that the only way to be heard around these men was to be forceful.

"What. Girl."

"The Baratheon girl, Your Grace. You remember her…helped the Kingslayer escape when you had the bastard in your grasp." Greatjon lifted one of his hands, the one with all five fingers, to take hold of a nearby cup, crushing it as he made a fist to extenuate his words. Catelyn watched the cup crumble in the man's hand and held her breath, waiting for Robb to ask the question she feared that he would. _Before this war, hearing the news of Melara's pregnancy would have made his heart crumble just as that cup did._ She was surprised that he had yet to ask about Melara, but assumed that he had wanted to ask in private. _He truly has grown into a King, setting the woman that he loved aside to first dine with his army and give them more reason to follow him. _

"Melara? What rumors are there about her?"

"Robb, we should discuss this in private." He lifted the arm that Catelyn had rested her hand on and brushed away her touch. He caught his mother's eyes and held them as he spoke to Greatjon.

"Tell me now. What have you heard?"

"They are saying it all over the Twins. That little whore spread her legs for Jaime Lannister and now she carries his child." Robb stood, and the only thing he heard was the startled gasp of his mother and the only thing he felt was the pain in his knuckles where they had collided with Greatjon Umber's chin. He could barely remembers leaving the Hall but the next thing he knew, Arya was running behind him, calling to him. Robb did not stop but demanded that she lead him to Melara's room.

When he arrived he pounded on the door, the pain in his already sore knuckles intensifying. He would think of his actions in the Hall later, but now he needed to see Melara. He needed to see with his own eyes that the rumors were only that, rumors. Arya put a hand on his shoulder but it only caused him to send her away, snapping at her that this was between only him and Melara. Arya had only just turned out of Robb's sight when he pushed the door open to see Melara halfway between the bed and the door wearing nothing more than a thin cotton dress.

"Robb? What are you doing?" Melara had been jolted awake by the pounding on her door, and had felt as if her body was flushed with fever. She had gotten out of bed quickly and tore her heavy layers of clothing off, leaving her only clothes the inappropriate cotton dress she now wore before the King in the North. Robb ignored her sleepy voice and instead closed the distance between them and took hold of her shoulders, bending down slightly to look into her beautiful blue eyes. _Gods, I had forgotten how beautiful she truly is._ He dared not look away from her face, frightened that he would see the proof that she was with child.

"Tell me, Melara." She looked confused for a moment, before the look in her eyes soon turned to one of anger. She pushed her open palms against Robb's chest, trying to pull her body from his grasp.

"Let me go, Robb. You can't just come in here after pounding on my door and handle me like some serving wench and demand things of me. Who are you to—"

"I am your King, that is who I am." The anger is his voice was matched to hers, neither taking their eyes off of the other. Melara stopped her struggles against him, knowing that he meant her no true harm and that he was too strong for her to fight off. _And if he were an assassin, I would be dead now._ Melara removed her hands from his chest and instead placed them on her belly, the action becoming an automatic reaction when her emotions took hold of her. She saw Robb's eyes dart down to her stomach and then quickly pull back up to her face. She saw the change on his face and felt the softening of his grip as his anger left him. It wasn't many times that Robb Stark gave into his anger, but it seemed that the longer the War lasted, the more his emotions took him over.

"Forgive me, Your Grace. I had forgotten myself." Her eyes still challenged him but her tone was one of defeat, and that was all it took for Robb to bend to her. His hands moved from her shoulders and trailed down her bare arms, sending a chill down her spine. His fingertips ghosted over her skin as his hands made a trail down her arms, stopping on her belly just beneath where her own hands protectively laid. The sword that was strapped to his hip rested against Melara's arm, reminding her that this was not a boy before her, but a man.

It had been so long since her body had felt ministrations from a man, that after the chill she felt her body begin to heat. She closed her eyes and pictured that it was Jaime's hands that made her body grow warm. That is was Jaime's hands that lay over the babe within her womb. _Will this child ever know its father?_ When Robb spoke, her fantasy was shattered and her eyes opened once more. She pulled her eyes from his face to look down at their hands, seeing his larger hands cupping her protruding stomach in a tender way.

"So it is true, then." His soft voice did not pose it as a question and so Melara did not respond. Robb continued to speak, sadness beginning to leak into his voice. "If I would have known this would be your future that day you left Winterfell, I would have been more truthful with you. I would have shown you what you meant to me, won your heart before the Kingslayer could steal it." She had been preparing for this moment since that morning when she heard of his arrival. Melara had planned for there to be screaming or yelling or harsh words, and had thought of many things to say back to him. And when he first walked in, mere seconds ago, Melara had been glad she had prepared herself. But then he had surprised her and instead he spoke softly to her. She lifted her head to meet his eyes once more as she spoke, her voice just as soft as his.

"Jaime did not _steal_ my heart. I gave it to him."

"And what has he given you in return?" She opened her mouth to answer him, but no words would come out. What Jaime had given her was not something she could put into words. She could try and describe it to Robb, but he would never believe her. He couldn't see Jaime the way that she saw him, only the way that everyone else saw him, the murderous Kingslayer. Arya's words from earlier came back to her. '_Can't or wont'_. Robb spoke to her once more, standing to his full height and removing his hands from her belly. "All you have from him now is the bastard child you carry."

If Robb's tone would have been more spiteful, Melara may have been angry for his harsh words. But he spoke with a sadness, for the child in her belly or his bastard half-brother Jon Snow she did not know, that made her think she was too quick to judge Robb. He may be King in the North, he may have killed numerous men and he may want her husband dead, but he would always be an honorable man just like his father had been. She hesitated a moment before removing her left hand from her belly and placing it in his, in a friendly gesture meant to comfort him.

"I hear that my child is being called a 'Lannister bastard', but I am wed to its father. Does my marriage to Jaime mean nothing?"

"Melara, you took no vows before a Septon. All you had to proclaim your marriage was a decree signed by Joffrey. But now he is dead, and his decree means even less." She pulled her hand away from his and turned her back on him, wrapping her arms around herself now that she was not near the heat his body gave off. Melara did not turn back to face him as she spoke to him.

"And if Joffrey is dead, then why still fight this war?"

"The Lannisters need to pay for what they have done. When we put the rightful heir on the Iron Throne, any Lannister that doesn't choose the Wall will be killed." She did turn to face him then, and Robb could fully see the proof of her pregnancy. Her belly had grown, as had her breasts, and she had filled out where before she had been nearly too thin, too fragile. Her thick, black hair hung loosely around her, and her blue eyes seemed to glow the way that the light of the fire shone within them. Robb had never seen any woman more beautiful, nor had he been able to find a woman more perfect for him than Melara. And even as she stood before him with another man's child within her, Robb couldn't help but love her. _I've always been a fool for her. Even when she loves my enemy, I can't turn her away. It is what Father would do. He brought Jon back with him and raised him as no bastard has been raised. Father did it, why shouldn't I?_ Melara's sweet voice pulled Robb from his thoughts.

"And when Jaime refuses to bend the knee or live his days out on the Wall, you will slice his throat and my child will truly be nothing more than a fatherless bastard." Tears sprung to her eyes when she thought of her husband dying at her feet. Robb came to her side when her tears began to run down her cheeks, and wiped them away with his thumb on her cheek. He had an urge to place a kiss on the side of her head but restrained himself, knowing that Melara would only push him away if he tried to force his affections on her. He settled for placing his hand over her womb once more.

"Your child doesn't have to be without a father."

"Even if Jaime takes the Black—"

"I'm not talking about the Kingslayer." She turned her head and Robb saw the confused look on her face. She was so close to him now that if he just lowered his lips just a bit, he could claim hers in a kiss. He resisted his urges, once more, and settled for explaining himself to Melara . "I could raise this child." He lightly pushed his hand into Melara's belly and she let out a small gasp when a she felt the strange sensation she had been feeling throughout the day._ Could it be the babe's movements I feel? Catelyn said it may be soon._ Robb took her gasp to mean she was surprised by his offer, and continued on encouraged. "I could take care of you. Love you."

"NO! You will do NOTHING of the sort!" Robb jumped back from Melara, startled by his mother's strong voice coming from the doorway. As Catelyn entered the room, Melara tried to think of something she may have done to cause Robb to act like a lovesick fool. _Gods, help me. Why would he say that?_ Melara was relieved that Catelyn had, unknowingly, come to her rescue. She thought that Catelyn was going to address Robb, but instead the older woman turned her sights on Melara. "Gods be good, put something decent on. The door was wide open for anyone to walk by and see!" Catelyn pointed behind her to make her point. Melara picked a blanket that lay atop the bed and wrapped it around her form as she saw Catelyn turn to Robb. Her voice was stern as she spoke with her son, for in that moment Catelyn only saw him as a boy and not the King in the North. "Do you really think that _your_ men who are fighting _your_ war will react kindly to you raising a child of your enemy? You are the King in the North! Do you really think you can marry Melara and raise her child as your own? The men will leave your side if you do. Then we will have no home, no army and no way to protect ourselves." Melara was surprised that Robb had yet to say anything, but when she saw the look on his face she knew that he was beginning to realize how foolish he had acted. Catelyn saw the change as well and her voice softened a bit. "You are just as honorable as your father."

Robb sobered at the mention of his deceased father. Thinking of Ned brought back everything to the front of his mind. The War, the Lannisters, the North, the Iron Throne, Winterfell. He had too many things to be concerned with to worry about Melara. It hurt him to have to toss the woman he loved aside, but he would have more time to figure things out after the War was won. When he looked at Melara, he wanted nothing more than to go to her and hold her until he forgot about everything weighing down on his mind. But Robb knew that now that she would be the mother to Jaime Lannister's child, Melara would never be his. _I need to get her away from here. She's too much of a distraction for me. One night in the same castle as her and already I've struck one of my most faithful Bannermen and offered to take her hand and raise her bastard child. Gods, what am I to do with her? Why can't I control myself around her?_

Robb gave the women no words as he left, too conflicted in his thoughts to form a reason for him to leave. Melara watched him go before she moved to her bed and sat down, tears coming down her cheeks once more. Catelyn had yet to leave, but she also had yet to speak. Melara caught the older woman's eyes before she spoke, her voice shaky.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what I did to make him say those things…to make him act like that."

"He loves you, Melara. Ned would act the same way with me. Any man who truly loves a woman will sacrifice anything for her." Catelyn briefly remembered the way that Petyr had challenged Brandon Stark for her hand. He nearly had died just for the change to be with her, and even to that day he still loved her. Catelyn gave her a tight lipped smile before making her way after Robb, knowing that she needed to speak with him about what they would need to do with Melara. She paused in the doorway to speak once more to the girl who had caused them many problems over the past year. "You should stay away from Robb for a short while, dear. Your presence clouds his mind too much." Melara nodded her head to show that she had heard and Catelyn finally left the room shutting the door behind her, leaving Melara to ponder what would happen to her now.

Catelyn did not have to walk far to find Robb, he had only made it a few doors away when he realized he did now know where his own rooms were. Catelyn opened her mouth to call to him when she heard footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. She looked in the direction from where she had just come, expecting to see Melara, or even Arya, but instead saw a red-headed boy, no older than Bran, running towards her. He ran right past her and stopped in front of Robb, giving him a piece of parchment before running off again. Catelyn walked the ten more feet to join Robb, placing her hand on his shoulder once she stood next to him. Robb did not wait for her to question him, and offered the explanation before she even asked.

"Stannis Baratheon wants to meet with me."

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Oh man, what a chapter! We have Gendry, Robb and Brienne all in the mix and now Daddy Baratheon has had a change of heart! Man, that was a big set-up chapter! Don't forget to show me some love and leave a review! They are such great inspiration!


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Here we go! I'm sorry about the irregular updating lately. It's been a rough week, but I think my life is back together now and I can focus on writing this again. Bit of a shorter chapter here, but I felt like it was a good place to end. Thank you for the support, it is such an amazing feeling I get when I read your reviews, or see that someone has favorite this story. Gotta love those warm-fuzzies!

Enjoy!

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"I'll take one hundred men with me, and meet with Stannis Baratheon at the Wall."

Robb's voice was strong, powerful, as he sat in the dining hall of the western tower of the Twins in the early morning hours, his liege Lords surrounding him. It had been a week since Robb arrived and a week since they had received Stannis' raven, and he had yet to send a response. _It has been a week since I spoke with Melara as well._ Catelyn had told him it would be wise to stay away from Melara, but that did not mean that Robb kept his thoughts from the girl. He had caught glimpses of her in passing or at the rare occasion when she would dine in the Hall, and his mind would become consumed by her. He would think of how things would have been if he would have been more aggressive with the proposal of marriage in Winterfell. The babe in her belly would be Robb's heir, and instead of her tears he would see her smile. Catelyn shifting beside him brought Robb from his thoughts of Melara, and his mother's stern voice made him focus back to the men sitting around him at the head table, all of them with their plates of food untouched.

"The last man that met for negotiations with him died the very same night, Robb. And that was Stannis' own brother. You can't mean to do this." Catelyn caught sight of Brienne from the corner of her eye, and saw the Maid clench her hands into fists. She knew that Renly was still a sore subject with Brienne, and that only made it strange that she brought Gendry with her to the Twins instead of leaving him where she found him. _Perhaps she keeps the boy who looks so like Renly by her side to remind her of her failure…and to remind her never to fail again._

Catelyn felt the dread in her heart as she remembered the vow Brienne had made to return Sansa to her, a vow that Brienne had been forced to break. Catelyn looked at the faces of the men who sat with them, only vaguely recognizing a few of the loyal Lords who had gien their featly to her son. A few of them agreed with her and shouted out their protests. Robb ignored both the men and his mother and continued to speak, holding his hand up to bring silence. He nodded his head towards the large man who sat across from him.

"Greatjon Umber will lead in my stead. You will take the men and ride to Riverrun to free them from siege." After the failed attempt on Robb Stark's life, the remaining Freys had fled to join with the Lannister army instead of follow the Boltons to Harrenhal. Tywin had commanded his armies to reclaim the larger cities, including the ancestral seat of Robb Stark's own mother. News of Catelyn's uncle, Brynden Tully, held up in the Keep by Lannister forces had enraged Robb. _First the Lannisters take Winterfell, and then they try to take Riverrun. They will pay for the strike against my blood._ Robb's thoughts of Winterfell sent a pain through his heart, but he ignored it in front of his men. He continued to make his plans known, missing the entrance of Melara into the Hall. "Once Stannis agrees to join forces with us, we will ride to Winterfell, freeing it from the Bolton Bastard."

"Stannis refused to join forces with Renly against the Lannisters, he will refuse you just the same!"

Catelyn did not see who had spoken but assumed it was a Karstark from the deep, gruff tone. Her eyes were focused on the girl who was innocently headed towards them. She knew that Melara was not purposely trying to intrude and the girl more than likely just trying to eat a meal in a place other than her room. Melara had taken Catelyn's advice and stayed away from Robb, only seeing him in passing. _She truly is a sweet girl. Any other girl thrown into the lion's den as she was may have turned bitter towards us, influenced by the Lannisters. But she has remained as loyal as she can, given her marriage and the child within her._

Catelyn felt guilt bleed into her mind at the way that she had treated Melara since Robb's arrival. It had been unintentional and she had not meant to speak so cruelly to the young, pregnant girl. Catelyn had been too focused on family and duty, that she had forgotten her honor. _I will sit with her tonight and make things right again._ It wasn't that Catelyn did not want Robb to be with Melara, in contrast it was the one thing she had wanted for her son for the last years, but things had changed. Robb was a King, _the_ King in the North, and could not take a bride of his enemy and raise the child as his own. When Robb continued Catelyn could have sworn it was Ned speaking through their son, his words sounding like a man seasoned by war.

"Stannis knows that he will never sit on the Iron Throne without our joined forces. We don't need him, he is the one that needs us." Catelyn pulled her gaze from Melara to look at Robb, surprised at his declaration to put Stannis on the Throne. None of the other men looked shocked, so Catelyn could only assume that it had already been settled between them all. A few murmurs of agreement were heard from the few men at the table, but Catelyn still did not see how Robb could get Stannis to join against the Lannisters.

"And bloody need us he does! His numbers are slim, most of them are either dead or scattered. The ones he does have he's using to fight alongside the men of the Night's Watch against the wilding savages." Greatjon Umber gave off a laugh, his belly nearly shaking the table before him. "Heard your bastard brother has been made Lord Commander, Your Grace. Always knew that the sons of Ned Stark would be meant to lead men." Greatjon Umber raised his cup towards Robb as he spoke, his loud voice catching Melara's attention. From her place, just ten feet away from the head table, Melara could see the stern look on Catelyn's face and took it to be caused by her arrival. _I've only been in the Hall for moments and already I've done something to upset her. Is there no way to please that woman?_ Melara turned and started to walk back the way she came, deciding to break her fast behind her closed door. She halted her steps when she heard her father's name fall from Robb's lips, turning her head just a bit to catch what was being said.

"And Jon would never side against me. Stannis is smarter than to draw me North to try to kill me surrounded by one hundred of my own men, and the men that my brother commands. He would never sit on the Iron Throne without our men." Catelyn pulled her lips into a tight line, holding her words and thoughts to herself at Robb's referral to Jon Snow as his 'brother'. She would not speak out to Robb like she wanted to when he was in front of his Bannermen, but she would speak to him after she had met with Melara. _I have to make him understand that he can never be with her, knowing just what it is like to raise a child that is not your own._ She thought of the day that Ned came riding back to Winterfell with the small boy in his arms, expecting her to be proud of his honor for taking the bastard with him. _Some men have too much honor, where others have none._ While the news of Jon Snow being named Lord Commander was something that Catelyn had never expected, Robb's next words were what made her nearly drop her mouth open in shock. "And Stannis will be indebted to me for returning his daughter to him from the clutches of the Lannisters."

It took Melara a moment to register the weight of what Robb's words meant. She turned her body fully around so she could face the table once more, her eyebrows raised in shock and her mouth slightly ajar. She had expected Robb to be different from the boy she left in Winterfell, but she would never have thought that he would send her off without first informing her. _It is a trait of men to play with the lives of others? Or is it only men who are near a crown?_ She felt as if she were a stick that everyone seemed to want to throw about at their will, keeper it so that no one else could have her. And if she were truly a stick in that moment her anger would have made her break in two. If Melara had been in control of her emotions and not fueled by the changes that the child was causing in her, she would have never confronted Robb, a King, in front of his men. But as it were, Melara was very much with child and very much angered at the thought of someone making her choices for her. She balled her hands into fists and set her jaw, making her way back to the table of men, men she was ready to throw something at. As she got closer she heard one of the men she didn't recognize whisper loudly to the man on his left.

"I can bloody imagine the look on the great Stannis Baratheon's face when he's sees his eldest has become a whore for the Lann—"

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare speak about me like that!" Melara's loud voice, dripping with anger, made the entire Hall grow silent, including the man who she had heard speaking ill of her. For many it was the first time hearing the girl speak, for others it was the first time they had heard her speak in anything but a soft tone. She saw the eyes of the men, and women, of the head table turn to her and could feel the eyes of the servers and kitchen wenches bore into her back. Robb had stood when he heard her voice, a questioning look on his face, but did not speak to Melara. She wouldn't have noticed if he had tried, too focused on the men before her. They were younger than the other Bannermen, both with dark hair and even darker eyes, and she assumed that they were merely sons of the Lords who sat with Robb. She felt a the odd tingle in her stomach that had been happening more as of late and rested her hand over her belly without really thinking of what she was doing.

"My Lady, I—" The one who had spoken had begun what may have been an apology, but Melara cut him off before he could finish. She didn't want to hear apologies or excuses or reasons. But most of all she never wanted to hear a man call her a whore. Her voice was not loud when she spoke, but low and menacing. It was a contrast to the image of the pregnant girl before them.

"A whore? You call _me_ a _whore_! Was I _paid_ by the man who raped me when I was a girl? Did my husband _buy_ my company into his bed?" Robb opened his mouth to protest, knowing that Melara had caused him troubles in this war already and he didn't need her to create anymore. He started to say her name but when her angry glare turned to him, Robb was silenced in the place where he stood. He had never seen such anger, such _fury_, from the normally timid and fearful girl. "No, I am _not_ a whore, my Lords, for lying with a man who was…is…my husband. And when I face my father, the very man you plot to put on the Throne, I will tell him the same." The surge of anger that had fueled her was slowly leaving her, but Melara did not back down. A powerful feeling came over her as she looked to the mighty Lords hanging on her words. If she was surprised that the men were actually listening to her, it did not show. The silence stretched for little more than a minute before Catelyn stood from her chair, staying next to her son, and spoke in a soft, motherly tone.

"Forgive her, my Lords. Pregnancy has not been treating Melara's mind well." Some of the older Lords nodded in agreement, remembering their own wives unstable moods when pregnant. Catelyn saw that the men were becoming restless, bored with the mad ramblings of a girl, and knew she must act fast if she were to keep the peace for Robb. Before Catelyn could continue to placate the men surrounding her, Melara spoke once more.

"Yes, my Lords. Forgive me for defending myself, just as you defend yourselves against the Lannisters. It shant happen again. Excuse me, Your Grace, my Lords and Ladies." Her voice had not been mocking, but her curtsey was much too low to take her words as sincere. She did not run from the Hall when she rose, as Robb had expected her to, but walked as calmly as if she had not just verbally assaulted the King in the North and his Bannermen. Only once the activity had started again in the Hall and Robb and Catelyn had taken their seats once more did Greatjon speak.

"I like a bit of spirit in a woman. No one can bloody say that girl isn't a Baratheon." A few of the Lords let out a chuckle, but Catelyn still sat tense beside her son. She did not eat the food on her plate, but instead became lost in her thoughts about what Melara. _There is no doubt the girl that was just here is a Baratheon, but where is the girl I raised? Melara would have never spoken like that to anyone if I hadn't let her leave with Ned, if the Lannisters hadn't poisoned her. If I ever see Jaime Lannister again, I will kill him myself for what he has done to my once sweet Melara._ And although it was an empty threat, Catelyn would get her chance to make Jaime pay sooner than she thought.

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Speaking of Jaime…I think it's time we see him again. Maybe the next chapter? What do you say? I'm going to thank you in advance for the reviews I get on this chapter. I'm going to say we hit 50 total reviews after this chapter…don't make a liar out of me! Only need eight of you lovely, beautiful wonderful readers to review!


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Enjoy!

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Melara heard a set of footsteps following her as she walked through the halls, and assumed that it was Robb or Catelyn coming to collect her for their journey to the Wall. _Will they suffocate me with their presence the entire month's ride North?_ In the three days since she had spoken out of anger in front of the table of high Lords, Melara had kept to her room, too irritated with Robb and Catelyn to risk seeing them. Lady Stark had tried to speak with Melara each night, but the girl refused her, remembering the way Catelyn had spoken to the Lords as if Melara was nothing more than a misbehaving child. _'Pregnancy hasn't been treating her well.' It was as if she needed to explain why I would defend myself against harsh words. She will always see me for the broken, confused, scared girl, and never will see the woman I am becoming. _ Melara was nearly to the doorway leading her out of the tower when she felt an odd poke against her stomach that caused her to halt her steps and her thoughts.

She could not deny it any longer that the odd feelings in her belly were being caused by her child. Melara leaned back against the stone wall beside her and placed her palms onto her stomach, just over the spot she had felt the movement. Everything around her was forgotten as she stood against the cold stone in the hallway and willed her child to move within her again.

"Come on, Sweetling." She rubbed her hands along her stomach in hopes that her baby would respond to the touch. Melara's recent anger at being labeled a whore was leaving her, and instead an anxiety of things to come began to build. _Oh, Gods. I know nothing of childbirth or pregnancy. How am I to do this alone?_ _If Jaime were here, could he help me? It pains me to think of him with Cersei, but he has fathered children before. _

She heard her named being called and turned to see a man with hair as black as Melara's, and eyes the same shade of blue. _I barely remember helping with the Stark children when they were all just infants. Would Catelyn still help me after how I acted?_ Melara's eyes studied the man beside her, trying to recall just where she had seen him before. _From a bit away he could be mistaken for Renly. _ Gendry truly did have the same look as her uncle, and the longer that Melara looked the more she could see her uncle Robert in the boy's features as well.

"Lady Melara?" Gendry saw the way that the pregnant woman was cupping her stomach and leaned up against a wall, and took it to mean something was wrong. He quickened his pace and closed the short distance between them as he spoke. "Is something wrong?" Melara pushed herself off the wall and stood to her full height before the stranger, her hands falling idly at her sides.

"I'm fine. I just…think I felt it move. Forgive me…but I don't believe I know you." He wore a crooked smile as he dipped his shoulders in a poor attempt at a bow.

"Ser Gendry of the Hollow Hill, milady."

"_You _are a knight?" Gendry ignored her question and instead lightly took hold of her left shoulder, intending to guide Melara the remainder of the way to where Robb Stark and his one hundred men. He had been assigned by Brienne to assist Melara in anything she needed for the journey, as well as protect her should she need it. Gendry had proved himself to the Maid when he struck down a man about to attack Brienne behind her back, thus saving her life. Brienne would be joining them on their journey North as well, the thought of revenging Renly's death tickling at her mind. Robb had accepted her sword as well as demanded the Hound's to join him for his meeting with Stannis Baratheon. When the Hound heard news that Arya Stark was not joining the party heading to the Wall, he seemed a bit more willing to head Robb's call.

"Brienne told me to find you, make sure you had what you need and that you're ready. She says you'll be riding in the wagon with me, until we reach Castle Black." Gendry gave a shake of his head as the pair stepped out into the early morning light of the sun. "I've been destined for the Wall for months now. Took a different path than I thought I would." Melara didn't understand what Gendry was referring to, but nodded her head anyways, thinking of the strange path she had followed just to be back where she started. _Being summoned by Father and traveling with a king, same as when I left Winterfell._

The closer they walked towards the departing men, the more stares Melara felt on her. She had yet to put on the warm furs she had been provided, finding that her body stayed warm even when she wore no clothing, and her belly was no longer hidden. She couldn't be sure when it had happened, but Melara had become confident under the judging stares of strange men and women. She no longer would cower away like the broken girl she once was but instead walked with her head high. Her yellow dress contrasting with the greys and blues and browns surrounding her drew even more stares, but she continued on with her eyes focused forward, her thoughts on the events to come. _Gods, give me strength to face Father when we arrive. And give me strength if I ever face Jaime again._

Melara caught sight of her bay mare and the grey direwolf who had claimed her standing by a wagon. Lady had been reluctant to enter the towers of the Twins, and Melara did not feel the need to force the animal. Melara saw that Robb and most of the men had departed already, but that Catelyn had yet to mount her horse. _I don't see Catelyn's horse anywhere. Does she intend to ride Sia?_ She took note of Brienne and the Hound on either side of the wagon that she assumed would be the one Gendry had spoken of. _My own personal guards? _ Gendry mounted the horse that had been provided for him, leaving Melara standing awkwardly before Catelyn. Arya stood at her mother's side, the girl's eyes narrowed at the Hound. Neither woman spoke and instead it was Arya who broke the silence. She briefly pulled her glare from the Hound's back to look at Melara.

"Send a raven so I know if it's a girl or a boy." She nodded towards Melara's belly, indicating what she was requesting. "And what you name it too. Mother said it will be nearly four more months. By then Robb could have taken back Winterfell. You could have the baby there instead of The Wall." Arya's words settled into Melara's mind, bringing with them the reality that soon she would give birth. _Oh, Gods. What will happen to my baby when it is born? Will Father take it? Kill it? _Melara gave off a small smile and brought her hand up to run through Arya's hair. She pushed the hair back from Arya's face as she spoke, wondering if she would someday do the same with her daughter. _Or will I have a son that will be trained to kill like Jaime?_

"If we are not together by then, I will have your mother send a raven to the Twins."

"But, Mother is staying here. With me." Melara snapped her gaze up to meet Catelyn's eyes. The older woman wore a blank expression on her face, and Melara couldn't determine if Arya spoke the truth. _Was that what she wanted to speak to me about those nights? _Melara felt a bit ashamed at how childish she had been acting, and wondered if she had crossed the line between bravery and stupidity. "Didn't anyone tell you?"

"No." Melara didn't trust herself to say anything else without her tears falling. She had yet to leave and was surrounded by other people, but Melara suddenly felt alone. Catelyn could have sworn she actually saw the change in Melara from confident young woman to scared girl. When Melara's shoulders began to sag and her eyes welled with unshed tears Catelyn felt her anger towards the girl ease. _Gods be good, I can't remain angry with this poor girl._ Catelyn held her arms up and Melara fell into the woman's embrace. Melara closed her eyes and rested her head on Catelyn's shoulder, and when she spoke it was only for Catelyn to hear. "Forgive me, Catelyn."

Catelyn pulled away, holding Melara's shoulders in her hands, and opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. Catelyn caught a movement from her side and saw Arya move towards the wagon, stopping to say her farewells to Gendry. Arya had given Robb a short 'goodbye', but it was nothing like the last time they had parted ways. To Catelyn it was the final thing she needed to see to know that things had changed for all of them, and it would never be like before the War. _My family has broken apart. Will we ever return to Winterfell?_ Catelyn focused back on the girl before her just as a single tear ran down Melara's cheek. Catelyn spoke to Melara just as quiet.

"We may have our disagreements, but I will continue to forgive you, just as I do my children." Catelyn moved one of her hands to lightly touch Melara's belly. A smile ghosted over Catelyn's face as she recalled each and every moment of her pregnancies. "When you bring this child into the world you will understand. You will sacrifice, _forgive, _do anything, and it will all be for this child." Catelyn removed her hand and stepped back as the driver of the wagon called out that they needed to depart.

"Catelyn, what will happen to me once we reach my father? You know him better, what am I to expect?" Catelyn wished she could give Melara the answers, wished she knew what would happen to herself. Arya came back over and stood by Catelyn once more, and Melara knew that the time to leave was upon her. She gave both Catelyn and Arya a small smile before turning to make her way to the wagon. The wagon that would return her to her father. _Will this wagon be bringing my child to its death? Will my father allow the child of a Lannister to live?_

Melara felt dread creeping through her veins, her blood turning to ice at the thought of what she would be facing. She had yet to decide what she was most worried about, her father, traveling with Robb or giving birth to a child. _Gods, what if Robb tries to ask for marriage again? What if my father kills this baby the moment it takes its first breath?_

The Hound had dismounted and lifted Melara onto the pile of furs in the back of the wagon. She was surrounded by food, blankets, water, and even a few weapons and armor. _And I am now just a tool in this War for Robb, no different than the supplies that surround me._ When Sandor moved back to his own horse, Lady jumped in beside Melara and settled near her feet. It was comforting to have the direwolf at her side and Melara sent up a prayer of thanks to Robert for allowing the beast to live. _That was event of many that brought me to this point._ Melara heard the man crack his whip and the wagon gave a jolt as it started along the path Robb had recently taken. Sia had been tied to the wagon and trotted along behind, her black main flowing in the slight breeze that had picked up. Melara placed her hands over her stomach as she laid her back against the furs, silently praying that she could be brave and strong enough to face the trials that lay ahead of her. She closed her eyes and allowed the warmth surrounding her and the gentle sway of the wagon to lull her into sleep.

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Jaime had always prided himself on staying outwardly calm under a variety of circumstances where other men would lose themselves. After he stabbed the Mad King he had, more or less, let his sword fall to his side and walked away. When rumors of his incestuous relationship were spread he had taken them in stride, denying the rumors that he actually knew to be truths. When Tyrion had been taken by Catelyn Stark and he had attacked Ned, Jaime still had not raised his voice nor showed the turmoil he constantly carried within his mind. And he was a model prisoner when taken by Robb Stark, nearly. Jaime could look back on all of those extreme events and know that he had kept his composure through them all. But the moment he heard of his little slip of a wife being with child he felt his composure crack.

Jaime heard the shouts of soldiers just below his window and cursed the men for waking him in the early hours. _Do these fools never sleep? _He rolled his body to the side of the bed, pushing into a seated position instead of fully standing. His bare feet hit the cold stone of the floor beneath them and cursed the Keep for being so cold. _Has no one heard of rugs this far North? _He could almost feel the heat of the South on his skin as he stood next to his Kingsguard brethren, his white cloak and gold armor as pristine as the day they were made. He rubbed his hand up and down his face, as if trying to wipe the memories of another time and place away. _If I was still in the Kingsguard, I wouldn't have a wife to worry about. Or a child for that matter._

It had been days since he had heard of Melara's whereabouts and her pregnancy. He was relieved to hear that she was alive and seemingly safe amongst the Starks, but nervous about the reaction of the men around her when they discovered who the father of her child was. _Ned Stark and his son may have honor, but some of their Bannerman may not._ He closed his eyes and held his face in his palms, his elbows resting on his thighs to support the weight of his head. His mind brought forth images of Melara, sweet innocent Melara, kept under lock and key by the Northern Lords, as if she were a traitor. _But isn't she? It's my child she carries. It's me who has caused the Starks to turn against her._ Jaime moved his hands to the top of his head and turned them into fists, grasping his blonde hair between his fingers. _And it is me who has turned her against the Starks._ He tried to block out the early morning sounds of the rowdy Bolton men preparing to depart. He had readily agreed to join them once he heard they were to march on the Twins, fearing what would happen to his wife should he not be there to protect her.

Roose Bolton had written to Tywin about Melara's pregnancy, still seeking favor from Lord Lannister after the botched attempt to take out the Northmen. Jaime had not known of the letter until Tywin's response came back a few days ago. Lord Tywin had advised Roose to wait until Robb left with his army before marching on the Twins to retrieve Jaime's wife and heir, no matter how long they needed to wait. Jaime knew that his father held no concern for the well-being of Melara or the child, but it was a matter of her belonging to the Lannisters now. _Just as when Catelyn had Tyrion. Father had to start an entire war just to prove his point. _Jaime pulled his hands from his hair and finally pushed to stand, knowing that they would be leaving for the Twins within the day. Scouts had sent word of Robb Stark's ride north with one hundred men while the rest of his army traveled deeper into the Riverlands. _Just the news that Lord Bolton was waiting for. _

Jaime moved to look out the window, his hands resting on the sill while the cool morning air spread over his bare torso and brought the stench of Harrenhal into his nose. _Burning. Death. Fear. Why is it I only smell those three things now?_ He could only imagine what Melara would smell like when he rescued her from the Twins, and the Starks. He could imagine feeling her in his arms as she clung to him, desperate to keep him by his side. _She will be more likely to push me away and blame me for everything, just as I deserve._

Jaime pushed himself away from the window, angry at what his life had become. Gone were the days when he only had to deal with killing men, protecting the drunken, whore-mongering King and secretly fucking his sister. _Yes, my life has always been so simple._ Jaime started to dress himself, wanting to dine on what may be his last good meal before he arrived at the Twins. _The next meal with a roof over my head will be with my wife at my side. _Jaime let a small smile fall on his lips at the thought but it vanished just as quickly as it came. _Will she even love me still? Will she welcome me into her arms when I burst through her door? Or will she have turned from me and ran into Robb Stark's awaiting arms?_

Jaime shook his head as he picked up his tunic from where it had landed on the floor the night before. _No, that Sweet Girl wouldn't turn from me, not when it is my child she carries in her womb._ Jaime pulled on a new pair of breeches and grabbed his boots from the floor by his bed. He sat atop the bed, becoming lost to his thoughts once more. _My child. One that I can rightfully claim is mine aloud._ He remembered the way that Cersei had looked when she was with child, with his children, and tried to imagine Melara the same way. He allowed his mind to show Melara naked before him on a bed, _their_ bed, swelled with child, _his_ child. He allowed his mind to torture him more, showing himself crawling into bed next to his naked wife and placing his hands upon her stomach to feel the babe within moving, as he had never been allowed to with Cersei. 'Too dangerous', she had told him.

He stood with a new resolve strumming through his veins to see his wife. He moved to the table where the maps of the Twins still lay open. They had been drawn months ago by one of the Freys, given to Roose so that his men could know the secrets of the Twins. And now they would be used to infiltrate the towers instead of escape them, a larger force of Bolton men attacking the towers head on. Jaime was sure that Roose had explained the details to him, but couldn't recall exactly what the soft-spoken man hold told him._ My only task is to get to Melara._ With that thought on his mind Jaime rolled up the maps and strolled from his room, bracing himself for the three week ride ahead of him.

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Thank you for the wonderful support you give. I do appreciate it very much! Hopefully I did not disappoint anyone with this chapter. Things are definitely a bit slower in these first few chapters but I have to set up the story before getting into the guts. Reviews are loved and treasured, as is every hit this story gets. I'm sorry for the irregular updating, but hope to have a more steady flow of chapters soon.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

This chapter is the longest one yet in this story, I hope it makes up for the length between updates. Thank you all for reading and reviewing!

Enjoy!

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As each long day of travel passed, Melara grew more thankful for the wagon she rode in. Robb had been pushing the men harder each day, hoping to make it to The Wall with little to no trouble. _The King in the North will have trouble no matter how fast we ride._ It had been one week since they departed from the Twins, and they had yet to make camp for more than a few hours, traveling even through the night. But today Melara had made the wagon stop to relieve her bladder and stretch her aching legs frequently, and they had fallen behind. The driver of the wagon, an elderly man with greying hair, was kind and would stop each time she requested it, never rushing her or speaking harshly. Robb had sent back a scout to see why the small group of Melara, Brienne, the Hound and Gendry had fallen behind. Brienne had simply told the boy that 'her Lady' was uncomfortable from the amount of time spent in the wagon. He must have ridden straight to Robb with the message, for once the wagon had caught up to the rest of the party they saw that camp had been made.

"Not many a girl can say they've stop an army by themselves, Little Lady." Melara turned to the man beside her, having chosen to ride next to him for the ease of getting in and out of the wagon, and Donnel gave off a laugh. "Don't be lookin' at me like that, milady. His Grace only stopped when he heard of your _discomfort_." Melara looked away from Donnel and suddenly found the fabric of her sleeve to be enthralling.

The subject of Robb was still sensitive to her since he had _still_ wanted her to be his Queen, even when she was married and pregnant by another. _His enemy, no less. He can deny the marriage but he cannot deny this child is not his._ She looked up ahead of her and saw that men had been erecting tents all over the open field, and could barely make out Robb and Grey Wind towards the edge, seemingly waiting for her. Donnel pulled the wagon to a halt but Melara did not move to get down, not ready to face Robb just yet. _Without Catelyn here to stop him, will he pursue me with more determination? Gods, I am the only woman who wouldn't want a king to desire her. _Gendry had dismounted from his horse, tying the beast next to Melara's mare, and came around to offer Melara his hand in assistance. She hesitated a moment before accepting it, throwing Robb one more glance, but finally allowed the young man to help her.

"Thank you." Gendry gave her a small shrug of his shoulders in response instead of offering her any words. Melara was beginning to enjoy the young man's company over the last week, but had yet to really find out who he was and where he came from. Up until this moment they had spoken more to fill the silence than to converse. She looked back to where Robb stood, nearly twenty feet away, before taking Gendry's hand in hers once more. The young man gave her a look of confusion, his eyebrows rising in surprise at her gesture. Melara spoke before Gendry could question her. "Could I bother you to walk with me, Gendry? My legs are quite sore." She did not wait for his answer and began to pull him in the direct they had just come, Lady jumping down to join them. They were only a few feet away when Gendry voiced his protest.

"Milday, this isn't proper. You're a Lady. You can't be seen walking out alone with me." Melara couldn't contain the laugh at Gendry's words. She released his hand but did not stop walking, Gendry continuing on by her side.

"Oh, Ser Gendry, what is more _im_proper than the child in my womb? Do you really think that those men don't already speak ill of me?" She let out another small laugh, this one laced with bitterness as were her following words. "They cannot say more about me that they have not already said." Lady padded alongside her and Melara ran her fingers through the grey fur, the action soothing both direwolf and human. Gendry gave a shake of his head as he spoke, his pace still matching Melara's.

"You're a bit like Arya, you know? Or maybe she is a bit like you, since you are older."

"How could _I_ be like Arya? She's so…confident and brave. At nearly half my age, too. I will never be anything like Arya."

"Could have fooled me." Melara tried to think of why he would compare her to Arya, a girl she had always envied for her brave, stubborn nature. They walked in silence for a few moments, Gendry having nothing more to say and Melara lost in her thoughts. _Could he think of me that way because he heard what I said to the Lords? _She thought of what her words had just implied. _It's true, those men can say what they like about me walking off alone with Gendry. _Melara thought of how she had been acting over the last few weeks, coming to the realization that to someone who hadn't known her before she left Winterfell, she did seem like a strong woman.

"Well, I haven't always like this, like Arya. I was once quite the opposite." She turned her head to study Gendry's face, finding comfort in the features that reminded her of her deceased uncles. _Gods, who is this man?_ She felt the feeling of her child moving inside her, the movements becoming more frequent, and covered her womb as she spoke. "And you? Have you always been a Ser?" He shrugged his shoulders again, an endearing trait that Melara was starting to become fond of, and shook his head as he spoke.

"No. Before I left for the Wall I was just Gendry."

"Left from where?"

"King's Landing. Lived there since I was born. That's where I met Arya, well she was going by 'Arry' but it was still her." Melara nodded her head as he continued to speak, anxious to discover who this man truly was. "My mum worked at an alehouse there, and I had no place to go when she died, so I just stayed." Melara could understand how Gendry felt as a young child without a family, she had felt the same when Stannis sent her away to Winterfell. In the many years since then she had learned to see the Starks as her family, but even that was shattered once she was given to the Lannisters. _Petyr Baelish delivered me to them as if I were just prized stock to be sold. Will Father use me the same way?_ Her thoughts of Stannis made her curious about the Gendry's father, since he had yet to mention one.

"And your father…"

"Don't know. Never met him." Melara turned to him and opened her mouth to apologize, remembering the way Jon Snow had looked when someone would remind him of his bastard status, but Gendry only continued to speak. "And you? What's your story?" She glanced down to her hands resting on her rounding stomach, the ring on her finger catching the light of the setting sun. _What is my story? How have I come to this? Pregnant with the Kingslayer's child and trapped in a War of Kings._ Gendry finally turned to look back at Melara and saw her giving off a sad smile. He only knew what Arya had told him about Melara, that she was a Baratheon and pregnant with Jaime Lannister's child. When he looked at her, he was surprised to see that there actually was a resemblance between them, just as Arya had said.

" My story…would take days to tell."

"We've got weeks before we reach The Wall, you know." Melara could not argue with Gendry, they would be traveling together for the next weeks and that would give her more than enough time to tell him what she had been pushed and pulled through. If it would have been Robb before her, she would have already spilled her secrets. If it would have been Jaime before her, she would have already been in his arms. She may have been slowly building trust for Gendry, but Melara was not ready to open up to him. _Even after he has opened up to me, I still cannot. I learned from the people in King's Landing that no one is to be trusted, no matter how innocent and sincere they seem. _

Melara halted her steps, Gendry stopping as well, and suggested they return to camp. She was almost ashamed of herself for walking off with a man who was still practically a stranger. _He could have killed me and ran off, no one would have known. Gods be good, I have to be more careful, smarter, if I am going to survive on my own._ Lady stayed by her side and Melara sent a prayer of thanks that she at least had some protection amongst the dangers she faced. She was blessed this time that Gendry had not been planning anything against her, but the next time she ventured off with a strange man it may be the cause of her death.

The pair returned to camp in silence, neither having any more to say to the other. Robb was not waiting for her at the edge of camp, and she assumed that he had gone off to attend to something that required his attention. _Thus is the life of a king._ Melara awkwardly stood next to the wagon, not knowing where her tent was, until a boy only a few years younger than her, came to lead her through the sea of tents. It seemed as if the deeper she walked into camp the more stares she received. At first she thought that the boy was bringing her straight to Robb, but when it was the Hound who stood outside the tent, Melara knew it was her own. She left the boy and pushed the flap of the tent open, walking into the safety of the tent and away from the stares of Robb's men. Inside the small tent she found a pile of furs in one corner with rickety table next to it, the pack she had brought with her thrown atop the furs. She was not offended at the lack of furniture, but was grateful to have a bit of privacy.

Melara carefully laid her body down onto the furs that would be her bed for the night, intending on finding sleep early. Although the unbearable fatigue she had felt weeks ago had lifted, she found that her body still succumbed to the call of sleep whenever she laid her head down. She moved her hands along her stomach, tracing patterns over the stretching skin over the fabric of her dress. She trailed her hands higher, laying them on her sore, swollen breasts. She tentatively started to massage them, hoping to relieve some of the ache.

She closed her eyes and imagined that it was Jaime's hands on her body, caressing and massaging her. Her touch began to cause a sensation to run down to the place between her legs. Melara couldn't control her body as it responded to her innocent caresses, her pregnancy multiplying the feelings tenfold. She was becoming lost in her fantasy, imagining Jaime's lips on her as he became more aggressive with his touches. It had been so long since she had felt his lips, his touches, his love that Melara was having a hard time remembering the feelings he caused. But the sensations she was bringing to herself were very clear in her mind. Melara felt a slight throb in between her legs and instantly pulled her hands away from her body, ashamed at what she had just been doing. She rubbed her legs together to make the throbbing stop, and felt a slickness between her thighs. Melara felt as if her skin was on fire as stood as gracefully as she could, given her growing stomach, to remove a layer of clothing.

When she stood in only a thin cotton dress she looked to the pile of furs and her cheeks flushed at what she had just been doing. _Oh, Gods. What was that? Why did I do that? Why do I feel this way?_ Melara still felt strange in between her legs, as if something was missing and she was empty. She tried to remember if she had felt this same way before Jaime had made love to her, but the memories only seem to make the feeling stronger.

"My Lady?" Melara jumped when she heard Brienne's voice, not realizing when the Maid had entered the tent. She was glad to have Brienne with her and was comforted by the woman's presence. _Maybe she knows what is happening to me?_ Melara remembered the last time she had asked Brienne for advice. _But that was about love, not about…a woman's body._ Melara turned to face Brienne fully, willing her body to return to normal as she did.

"Yes, Brienne?"

"I heard moaning. Is the child causing you pain?" Melara's cheeks flushed even more, not realizing that she had been making any sounds at all. She shook her head in response to Brienne's question.

"No. But…Brienne, do you…" Melara was searching for a way to ask the question she wanted answered. Brienne stood and waited for the young girl, not sure what Melara was trying to say. When the girl spoke, her voice was timid. "Do you…I mean to say, have you ever…" Melara's faced flushed an even deeper shade of red and her voice dropped to a whisper. "Felt…aroused?" Of the hundreds, thousands, of things that Brienne had been preparing for Melara to ask about, arousal was not one of them. The only sign that the Maid had been surprised was the slight raising of her eyebrows. An uncomfortable silence fell around them in the tent, and Melara regretted her words the moment they passed her lips. Melara pulled her eyes to the ground and cleared her throat to break some of the tension. Melara opened her mouth to give what would have been a stuttering, embarrassed apology when Brienne spoke.

"Your presence has been requested, my Lady. In the King's tent." Melara knew that this moment would come as soon as she heard that Catelyn was not going to be joining them on their journey North. _Better to speak to him now than when we arrive at the Wall._ Melara nodded her head and allowed Brienne to lead her out of her tent after she had put on more appropriate attire, feeling so small walking next to the Maid. As they walked by the Hound, Melara caught Brienne's gaze lingering on the man but did not spend much time thinking of it, focusing instead on her thoughts of what Robb would say once she arrived inside his tent.

When she stood outside the flap of his tent, Melara could hear Robb's voice, full of authority, reaching her ears. She heard him mention something about the Karstarks remaining at the Twins as Brienne pulled the flap aside. Melara, followed by Brienne, strode in to see Robb standing over a map with three men seated around him the circular table. She saw that the men were too caught up in their plans to notice her arrival.

"Forgive me, my Lords, Your Grace. I did not mean to interrupt." Robb's eyes focused on Melara when her soft voice hit his ears. The men around him stood, confusing Melara as to why they would rise at her presence. _Was it because I defended myself? Or because Robb demands them to?_

"Please, Lady Melara. Stay. We've said all we can tonight." The men around him agreed and nodded their heads towards Robb before excusing themselves. They did not send Melara glares, as she thought they would, but they did not offer her any farewell either. _I prefer them ignoring me like this over their harsh words._ Robb dismissed Brienne as well, and only once they were alone did he give Melara a small smile.

"You have chairs." She moved forward and ran her hands along the wood of the chair, standing directly across from Robb with only the table separating them. His smile grew and Melara couldn't help but to think him handsome when he was at ease. Robb walked around the table to stand beside her, taking Melara's hand is his and leading her deeper into the tent as he spoke.

"You can have them. I've been sitting in a saddle more than I haven't." She couldn't stop herself from comparing Robb's touch to Jaime's. Where Jaime's hands had been calloused, roughed from years of working the sword, Robb's were softer, gentler. _Where is he taking me?_ Robb walked them over to the bed and sat down on it, pulling Melara with him. The memories of what she had been doing while lying on a bed just moments ago caused her face to flush. _How could I touch myself like that…make myself feel those things. Acting like nothing but a wanton whore._ Melara caught Robb's eyes, so blue, so different than Jaime's, and saw that he noticed her flush. He gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it, turning to grab something that Melara could not see. Robb assumed that her flush was from being so close to him, and it only encouraged him to think that he still had a chance at her heart. When he turned to her, Melara saw a he held a small bundle of fabric in his hands. He extended it for her take, a gentle smile on his face as he spoke. "This is for you, for your nameday." She shook her head at him as she accepted the gift.

"Robb, I haven't celebrated a nameday since I was twelve. I didn't even realize it was today."

"I couldn't remember the day, but I didn't think you would mind." Melara couldn't tell if she wanted to refuse the gift and seem rude or to accept the gift and give Robb false hope. _After everything, he is still blinded by what he feels for me._ She remembered the words she had spoken to Arya. _We are blind to what we don't want to see. Robb can't see that I am not the girl I was before, that I am not who he should waste his affections on._ She silently accepted the package, her fingers unintentionally brushing over the skin on his hands. Melara set the light gift on her lap and as she began to open it, she felt Robb's hand come to reset between her shoulders. She tensed a bit, not entirely comfortable with the intimate setting, but did not ask him to remove his touch, finding comfort in the contact with another. _Before I ran just to avoid being touched, too full of fear, but now…_ Her thoughts left her as she opened the gift and saw an assortment of sewing tools, needles and thread along with small swatches of fabric. She had been expecting something more…romantic, something to make this moment more…tense._ Perhaps he was just trying to be nice. Maybe he doesn't want me for his wife._ She turned her head to face him, to question him, and only then did she notice how close he was.

Robb's left hand had traveled down the length of her back, coming to rest very low, as he leaned a bit towards Melara. She felt her body heat at the closeness of a man, her body overly sensitive from the changes caused by her pregnancy. She felt guilty, felt as if she was betraying Jaime just by sitting with another man. _If it were any other man, one that was not trying to convince me away from my husband, I might not feel this guilt. _She thought of her words again, but this time her thoughts were focused on herself. _Am I blind to the gift before me? Have the Gods sent me to Robb and away from Jaime for a reason?_ She cleared her thought a bit, her tongue coming out to moisten her lips, before she spoke.

"Thank you."

"The babe will need blankets and clothes." He slowly brought his right hand up to hover over Melara's stomach, not sure if she would allow him to touch. She moved the package from her lap, giving Robb better access to her womb, but did not pull his hands to her. Instead she placed her own hands atop her womb, putting another layer between Jaime's child and Robb's touch. The distant sounds of men shouting hit their ears, but Robb paid no mind, having been in many camps he knew that the men often became restless and start minor brawls between each other. Melara had turned her head towards the sound, and Robb used the distraction to lightly place his large hand over her two smaller ones. Her head turned back around and she stared at the image their hands made, suddenly feeling a longing to have Jaime by her side, holding her as Robb was now. She nearly closed her eyes to imagine it was Jaime, when Robb's soft voice filled the air around her. "I doubt that there will be any seamstresses at the Wall."

Melara nodded her head dumbly, her rising emotions making words leave her. It was the most thoughtful, kind, sweet, innocent gesture that Melara had receive in months. _Jaime was the last one to give me a gift, or even be this kind to me. And that was many months ago._ She turned her head to give her thanks and it seemed that was the moment that Robb had been waiting for. She watched him as he slowly brought his lips closer to hers, his blue eyes never closing. _Blue eyes. Not green. Not Jaime._ Melara had nearly been about to give in when the thought of Jaime hit her. She hesitated for a moment, trying to think of her feelings for him, trying to remember the love that he gave her. _It must not have been love, he let me go and never came for me. He just used me until he got what he wanted, then pushed me aside, never to spare a thought on me. _With those thoughts distracting her, she did not realize when Robb had finally put his lips to hers. When she closed her eyes she saw flashes of Jaime, when he had first held her, first kissed her, first made love to her. _No. He did it to protect me. If anyone knew of how deeply he cared they would have used me against him. _Melara pulled her head back and whispered against Robb's lips.

"Jaime." It was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over him when Melara spoke the Kingslayer's name, and it was as if her body had burned him. She may be physically with Robb, but her heart would always be with Jaime. Robb pulled his hands away from her but did not stand from the bed. The pair sat in silence, the only sounds coming from the men outside. Neither had realized that the men who were causing the commotion were coming closer to the King's tent. When Robb could take the silence no more he stood and walked to the entrance of the tent, his curiosity giving him the distraction he needed from Melara. Robb pulled the flap aside to look out at the camp and saw a young man, blond of hair, that he did not recognize being pushed toward him. Melara stood and followed Robb, not entirely sure that she should be found alone in the King's tent. Once the evening air hit her face, she could see what had caused the men to cause such a ruckus. She overheard one of the men explaining to Robb why the man was bound and kneeling before the King in the North.

"He's a Lannister, Your Grace. If we let him go, he's going to give away our position, and how weakly guarded we are." The boy lifted his head to try and speak but was given a knee to the face before any words could come out. Robb heard Melara let out a gasp at the brutal treatment of a boy, just a few years younger than herself. Robb fought the urge to turn his head and look at her over his shoulder, and instead ignored Melara. The man before him continued to speak after assaulting the Lannister boy. "Can't kill him yet, though. Says he's got a message from King's Landing, from his uncle Tywin. Isn't that right, Boy?" At the mention of Tywin and King's Landing, Melara moved forward to stand next to Robb. Melara heard the boy try to respond, but the pain in his jaw must have prevented him from speaking. The guard grabbed a handful of the boy's hair and pulled him to stand. Melara let out another gasp, this one of realization, when she saw the boy's face, recognizing him through the blood and bruises.

"Lancel?" Melara's small voice pulled the attention of everyone to her, the suspicious stares making her feel uncomfortable. Robb finally turned to face her, questioning her how she knew the boy. She did not meet his eyes, but instead continued to look ahead at Lancel. "He was King Robert's…my uncle's squire. I met him on the Kingsroad." She heard a few murmurs and knew that the men would now assume that Lancel had been in her bed as well. _Do they think that I would warm the bed of any man with the name 'Lannister'?_ Robb turned his eyes back to the scene before him, remaining silent while he contemplated what he should do. He finally spoke once he made his decision, his curiosity of what Lord Tywin would risk his own nephew for Robb to hear overwhelming him.

"What message does _Lord Tywin_ want me to hear, Boy?" Melara almost let out a laugh at hearing Robb call someone 'boy', as she still saw him as the quiet boy from Winterfell. She saw Lancel struggling with the lingering pain from where the large man's knee had connected with his jaw. She took pity on the boy, who she remembered Robert constantly being cruel to, and put her hand on Robb's arm.

"Robb, it can wait." He shrugged her touch away, his pride still hurt from when she had whispered Jaime's name against his lips. He asked the question to Lancel again, this time more forceful.

"What message do you bring for me?" The boy turned his eyes from Robb to Melara when he spoke, his words surprisingly clear for the amount of pain he was in.

"It's not for you, Your Grace." He awkwardly nodded his head toward Melara. "It's for the Lady."

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Whoa. Lots happened in this chapter. Gendry and Robb and Tywin, oh my! I'm anxiously awaiting your thoughts on this chapter. Leave a review with some love for me, will you? Until next time…


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Oh. My. Gods. So, I write these little "love notes" just after I've finished the final edits on the chapter. Let me just give you a warning, stuff is starting to get pretty thick with the end of this chapter. I won't be able to update until Sunday night at the earliest and apologize for that. If you are going through some Jaime withdrawal because I have yet to reunite our lovers, and if you haven't already, I suggest checking out "The Lion and The Lady" by blondie1010. It's a bit more intense than anything I've written and the OC paired with Jaime is quite different from Melara, but the writing is fantastic and it is definitely worth the read! Go read it while you anxiously await my next update. I'm anxious for my next update, and I already know what is going to happen! Oh, and THANK YOU for your amazing reviews and for continuing to read my stories. My life is dark and full of terrors right now, and you all are my Lords and Ladies of light.

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Melara was smart enough to know that someday the Lannisters would find her. She knew that the day would come when they would come for her, but she had been expecting it to be Jaime to call on her. She had _hoped _it to be Jaime who found her. _Lancel will know why Jaime has yet to come._ Robb had demanded the large man who assaulted Lancel to bring him into Robb's own tent and Melara had silently followed after them. She paused for a moment at the opening of the tent, letting the words of the men wash over her.

"…the King bows down to the Whore…"

"…why should we fight for him…"

"…she'll be the ruin of him…"

Melara pushed into the tent, wanting to block out the bit and pieces of the conversations she had heard. Robb dismissed the man who was guarding Lancel, Vickon she heard was the man's name, and Melara moved quickly out of the large man's path. When Vickon passed her, the look on his face made Melara nervous to be left alone with him. He wore a vicious sneer and when his eyes dropped to her belly, the glare was full of intense hatred. _Does he hate me or just anyone that is a Lannister?_ She closed the distance to where Lancel still knelt on the floor, his head bowed from the pain at his rough handling. She put her hands on his arms to help him to stand, but his weight was too much for her even with the small amount he helped. She looked to Robb expectantly, wondering why he just stood by the table and did not help. _The longer he reigns as King, the more his sympathies leave him._

Melara had little experience with Kings but if her uncle and Joffrey were anything to judge by, the weight of a Kingdom rested heavy upon a man. Robert had turned to the drink and whores while Joffrey had turned…evil. Melara could still feel the sick and twisted stare on her and hear his voice telling her she would grace his bed. Melara focused back on her task of getting Lancel into a chair to make him more comfortable. She struggled for a moment more before Robb finally took hold of the boy's other arm and all but carried him into a chair. Melara filled a cup with wine from the jug that sat upon the table and moved to offer it to Lancel. She remembered the ropes that bound Lancel and set the cup back down just as Robb spoke to her.

"You are too kind to him." She shrugged her shoulders, a habit she had quickly picked up from Gendry, and kept her back to Robb as she tried to release Lancel's hands. She took a nearby knife from the table, clearly meant to be used for slicing food, and began to slide the steel through the rope. Robb put his hand on her shoulder after she had nearly sliced through her hand and his touch caused her to still. She straightened her back and he gently turned her to face him, his harsh voice contrasting with his gentle touch. "Leave him tied. He doesn't deserve your kindness."

"Then tell me, what has he done to deserve being treated like an animal?" Robb's hand fell from her shoulder as Melara turned back to her task of freeing Lancel's hands. She did not see his clenched first, nor his clenched jaw. Robb was becoming frustrated with Melara as the moments passed in silence. _Does she not see that this is a War? My men, I, have to do what is necessary to win. It's the only way I can survive in this War._ Robb walked to the other side of the table, his palms flat against the wood, so that he could look at Melara when he spoke. _And so she will look at me._

"We have to do things to keep our position from being known. Melara, if he were to escape in the night the entire Lannister army would be upon us."

"And when he had served his purpose and given the message that Lord Tywin sent him with, will you kill him?" Lancel's head turned to look at Melara, just as she leveled Robb with her blue eyes. He gave her once single nod and Melara nearly screamed at Robb. _The Robb I knew would never kill an innocent boy._ She continued moving the knife against the rope, with more force than before, and continued to question the Northern King. "And innocent boy, Robb? You'd kill him just because he was born into a house that rivals your own?

"Melara, no Lannister is innocent. My father's blood stains all of their hands, Joffrey saw to that when he—"

"_No Lannister is innocent_?" Melara cut Robb off just at the ropes restraining Lancel's hands gave way. She slammed the point of the knife into the table and looked back to Robb. "Are you listening to the words you speak? Robb, you've been blinded by hatred and war and you've been poisoned against anything that doesn't fight for you." She took the cup of wine off of the table and blindly handed it to Lancel, the boy offering a word of thanks that was not even heard. Melara placed her palms on the table, mirroring Robb's position as he stood across from her. "My child will be a Lannister, bastard or not, Jaime will still be its father. Your men will call for the babe's blood the instant I push him from my womb. Even now they want nothing more than to rid the 'Lannister Whore' of her bastard child. Will you still their swords, Robb, when they demand that the child be put to death?"

"I would never kill at innocent child." Robb knew the moment the words left his mouth that Melara had him trapped. He saw the triumph in her eyes, heard it in her voice when she spoke. As he looked at her, he couldn't imagine that this was the same girl who he had kissed just moments before. One moment she was docile, and the next it was as if she wanted nothing more than to scream and yell and fight. _Mother said she would be like this. And it will only get worse. _He saw her take one hand from the table to place it on her stomach, his own hands still remembering the feel of their hands both covering the child in her womb.

"How can it be innocent and a Lannister?" Robb was saved from answering by a man calling to him from outside the tent. Robb pushed his hands against the table and moved away from the pregnant woman who had bested him. He paused by the flap of the tent, looking back to see Melara turned back towards Lancel, and spoke once more before he left.

"Mother said you were different from the girl I knew, that the Kingslayer had continued to poison you. I didn't want to believe it, but I have no choice. Stay here as long as you need with your _cousin._" Melara stared at the place where Robb had just been and knew that things had once again changed between them on this night. _Does he think that I will stand by as his men murder innocent boys? If I don't try to protect Lancel, who is just as alone here as I am now, I could never forgive myself. He's just a pawn used by Tywin, just as all Lannisters are._ Melara pulled a chair around the side of the table to sit facing Lancel, the boy leaning his head back staring upwards, as if trying to see the sky that was hidden by the material of the tent. She slid the cup from between his fingers and poured him more wine, trying to find a way to start the conversation. Melara was surprised that it was Lancel who spoke first, pulling his head up to speak with the girl.

"I've never heard anyone talk to a king like that, my Lady. Not even cousin Cersei spoke to King Robert that way." Lancel accepted the second cup of wine from Melara and saw a ghost of a smile on her lips. Melara did not understand why, but it felt satisfying to have done something that Cersei had not.

"Cersei is not a Baratheon." Melara had never taken pride in her name, never understood what their words meant. She remembered very little of her father, and had only spent a brief amount of time with her uncles, so she was left to discover what it meant to belong to the Great House on her own. _I am beginning to understand. Baratheons can't sit about as they are being thrown from place to place like I have been. They start rebellions and try to overthrow Kings like my uncles, my father. Ours is the fury because that is where our strength lies. I've never felt more powerful than when I am speaking my thoughts. Catelyn raised me as a Tully, as a Stark. I am neither._ Melara let her smile widen a bit before she continued to speak. "But _I_ am a Baratheon." She thought of her marriage that she had been defending and quickly added, "By blood, at least." Lancel nodded his head, but grimaced when the movement caused a pain to shoot through his jaw. The look of pain reminded Melara of just who the boy was and why he was there. "Lancel? You said that you had a message for me…" She held her hand out expecting him to present her with a piece of parchment, but instead he spoke.

"Lord Tywin sends his congratulations at your pregnancy. He was pleased to hear of the news." Melara could almost picture his serious face telling her she had done well, as if she had made an impressive swing of a sword. Lancel took another drink of wine before he continued. "He wants you to return to King's Landing so that you can have the child amongst family. He sent me so that I could bring you to the men that will escort you back."

"And if I refuse?"

"He said you wouldn't." Melara let out a bitter laugh at the thought of Tywin's arrogance. She knew that he would be expecting her, since no one defied the great Tywin Lannister. Not even Jaime would fight against his father. _Or would he?_ Melara allowed a few moments for Lancel to finish the cup of wine before she questioned him about her husband. Her voice was hushed when she spoke, hoping to keep the conversation from any prying ears.

"Lancel, what news do you have of Jaime? Is he in King's Landing?"

"He left within a few days of Joffrey's death, and hasn't been back yet. Last I heard was he joined with Roose Bolton at Harrenhal." Melara had heard the name 'Bolton' before but couldn't remember where. _Didn't I hear one of the men talking about the Boltons when we were at the Twins?_ She shook her head and her thoughts focused back on Jaime once more.

"Was he well? Did he ever mention me?"

"He left well enough, but after he rode away I cannot say. I never heard him mention you, but the queen had a lot to say." Melara had expected Cersei to hate her even more, now that the girl had slipped through her fingers once again. Lancel placed his cup on the table and made to stand. He was a bit shaky at first but caught his bearings, extending his hand to Melara to help her stand. "Shall we be off, my Lady?"

"You intend me to leave here and return to the capital?" He nodded and she opened her mouth to respond, but hesitated. She stared at his offered hand as she was consumed by her thoughts. _Which evil better? Tywin or Father?_ She placed her hand in Lancel's and when she stood she was still not sure what she should do. If she returned to King's Landing, she would certainly be dead once the child was born. But if she went to the Wall, there was a chance that Stannis would kill the child. The pair stood in the King's tent for a few moments, listening to the muffled sounds of the men outside as Melara contemplated what she should do.

Melara looked to the entrance to the tent and wondered if she could actually do it, if she could leave Robb's camp and make her way back to King's Landing, to the Lannisters. _Back to Jaime. He is in Harrenhal, what would stop us from traveling there instead?_ Melara knew that there were no guards posted outside the tent, and if they were quick she could escape with Lancel, and together they would ride back South. _I can go to Jaime instead of my father. Jaime and I can find a place to stay until our child is born, then go somewhere we will be safe._ Melara knew it was just a wild fantasy, but the argument she had moments before about her child being a Lannister made her realize that the only place her child would be safe would be in the hands of Tywin. She walked until was just a foot away from leaving the tent, hesitating a moment more. While Tywin would protect her child, and his family name, Melara wasn't sure if he would protect her. As the shouts of men in the camp reached her ears, Melara was frozen in place trying to decide what she should do. She looked back to see that Lancel stood just behind her, waiting for her to decide. _My life or my child's._ Melara pulled back the flap and stepped out into the early evening air, no longer hesitating in what she would be doing and walking away from Robb's tent. Melara had made her decision, and now she had to follow through with it.

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Stannis Baratheon had spared no thoughts for his eldest daughter, his rightful heir, since he left her when she was just a girl. Even before she had disgraced him by allowing herself to be attacked and raped, she was a nuisance. He remembered the troublesome girl she was, needing two Septas just to control her, bring shame to him from a young age. He was told that she was intelligent, just like Stannis, but with the charisma and looks of her uncle Renly. Many times he wondered if the girl was actually his and not his younger brother's daughter, her looks and personality favoring the more handsome Baratheon brother.

It wasn't until a few weeks ago, when news of her pregnancy made it to him at The Wall, did he take a moment to think of her. Stannis heard that Tywin Lannister had married her off to the Kingslayer, using the false King Joffrey to decree the marriage. It was another disgrace to his House that Stannis would not stand for, and he told Melisandre to look into the flames and find Melara. The Red Woman had spoken in riddles, as she mostly did, and instead of helping Stannis she only enraged him more. The Red Priestess was currently looking in her flames once more, Stannis standing behind her in the tower of Castle Black. It wasn't his choice of locations, but Stannis used it to the best of his advantage, just as he had done when Robert gave him Lordship over Dragonstone instead of Strom's End.

"They ride for us, do you see, my King? The Child brings with him your victory." Stannis turned from the flames, nearly ready to strangle the woman and her cryptic words. His hands turned to fists as he placed them on the table, turning his head to the woman who had yet to move from her precious flames.

"Unless he has an army that follows him, no babe can give me the Throne." She brought her hands up to feel the heat of the flames caressing her palms, closing her eyes at the sensation. Stannis continued to speak as he watched the Red Woman's face scrunch in either concentration or ecstasy, he couldn't be sure. "How much longer must I wait for Robb Stark to arrive?" He pushed away from the table thinking of all the time he had wasted since the Battle of Blackwater, moving to look out the window at the snow covered ground. He had listened to his Hand, Davos, and ventured North to hold back the Wildling forces and Stannis had reveled in the victory, even if it was against savages.

For a man like Stannis, war and fighting and killing and strategy were all he knew. Once he had received Eddard Stark's support and claims of Robert's heirs being nothing more than Lannister bastards, Stannis had rallied to take what rightfully was his. It was cruel the way that the things he wanted most, things that were rightfully his, were taken from him by the less deserving and less capable. The proud Baratheon had been taking shunts to his pride since Robert's death, starting with Renly refusing to yield and most recently with the news that his eldest had been impregnated by a Lannister, but he refused to break. There were many things that Stannis was not, but any man who thought of Stannis as less than determined was very badly mistaken.

"Robb Stark is not the one we wait for. The Child, the Blood, is what you should be awaiting. Not another boy claiming to be King, like your brother Renly." He felt Melissandre come up behind him and lay her hands onto his shoulders, her touch seemingly burning him even through his thick furs. If he were a lesser man, he would have regrets for Renly's death, along with renouncing the Faith of the Seven in favor of following Melisandre and her Red God, R'hllor. But, as it were, he was no lesser man. He was Stannis Baratheon, heir and rightful King to the Seven Kingdoms and he had no regrets. The Red Priestess ran her fingertips down Stannis' arms, resting her hands around his muscular arms. She rested her chin on his shoulder as she continued to speak. "I have seen it, in the flames. When The Child arrives, it will set off events that will lead to you sitting on the Iron Throne, King of all Westeros."

"The only way that I will sit on the Throne is by giving the Stark boy his Northern Kingdom. And he can have it, but only if he bends the knee to me if I call for it." Stannis continued to stare out the window and watched as the sun set over the frozen horizon, his thoughts lost on the different strategies he could follow to claim his Throne. When he had met with Renly, just hours before his death, Stannis had been a bit surprised to find Catelyn Stark there as well. At that time, he had not found the value in joining forces with a boy so green in the ways of war that he wouldn't know the pointed end of a sword from the hilt. He could see how Renly would find that smart, he no more war-seasoned than Robb. But after Stannis had taken a defeat at Blackwater, losing his men and his pride, he had begun to reconsider the boy who had yet to take a major defeat. Melisandre had been the one to convince him to call Robb North, if only so that he could bring Melara with him.

Stannis had no feelings for his daughters or his wife, and thought that Melisandre was just wasting more of his time by waiting for Melara to travel to The Wall. But the Red Woman had insisted, telling him that she saw the girl in her flames and The Child would be the key to unlocking his victory. Davos had brought up concerns that Melisandre only wanted to sacrifice Melara and her unborn child to R'hllor, still looking for a child of 'royal blood' to burn. Stannis had ignored the feelings of hearing his daughter, his own blood, being burned before him brought and dismissed the thoughts from Davos' with a wave of his hand. Stannis had sworn to his Hand that if that was the reason Melisandre called his daughter to The Wall he would put a stop to it. Melisandre's voice whispering in his ear brought him from his thoughts.

"You won't need to give him any of your Kingdom, my King. The Sea will drown him in time, and he will be nothing more than a memory. You are the Son of Fire, the Warrior of Light. It will be you that will be king, the one true king."

"And the girl, my daughter. Why do we wait for her? What role do the flames show she will play in my victory?" Melisandre smiled before she whispered in his ear, her lips brushing against his skin as she spoke.

"Patience, my King. All will be revealed once you have The Child and The Blood."

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Oh, Daddy Baratheon, how I've missed thee. So, how was it? Did you enjoy the preview of things to come once we reach the Wall? Or…is Melara going to run from Robb back to Jaime and never reach the Wall? On a more serious note…can I get some feedback for Stannis and Melisandre? I feel like I've gotten in the ballpark with them, but I really want them to be perfect. Critiques? Questions? Guesses? Leave a review!


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Thank you for your support, your reviews and for reading!

Enjoy!

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Melara was grateful for whatever commotion was distracting nearly every man in camp. Lancel had stayed close behind her and the pair made it to the horses without notice but just as Melara was about to untie Sia, the horse that Lancel had chosen started to cause a ruckus. She looked to him and saw his hands help up before the great black beast in surrender. _Of all the horses tied here, he has to choose that one._ She whispered his name before telling Lancel to leave the beast before someone heard the noise it was making, but it was already too late. When she turned back to her own horse, she saw the Hound striding towards them and knew that she would not be leaving camp on this night. Melara tried to hold her tears at the thought of being so close to seeing Jaime again, but being denied something that she wanted. _It is a long ride from here to Harrenhal, but I will be even further away from him once I reach The Wall._ The Hound walked straight over to where Lancel stood, pushing the boy away from Stranger before calming the horse. He turned to Melara but did not speak. She could see the questions on his lips. What was she doing, why was she leaving. She did not answer the unspoken questions, not exactly knowing the answers herself, and instead tried to make an excuse for what they had been doing.

"Lancel was just helping me with—"

"Save your lies for your King." She expected him to continue and did not speak as she made her way from the side of the wagon where Sia was tied to stand in front of him without the wagon between their bodies. She continued to look at him intently as the silence passed, only pulling her gaze away from the Hound when Lancel spoke to her.

"My Lady. If we are to leave we must go now, before the others come." She was about to speak when the Hound interrupted, taking a step closer as his voice washed over the clearing.

"You plan to leave? How far do you think a pregnant girl and this…_boy_ will make it alone?" He closed even more distance between them, standing within reach of her, and Melara nearly took a step back in fear, the man larger than Brienne and even more intimidating. _Where is Brienne? She's the only one that might have a chance against this man should he choose to harm me._ Melara had to tilt her head back to look at the Hound, her eyes darting to the burned, deformed side of his face as he spoke. "You'll be dead within a few days ride, the babe even sooner from lack of food." Her hands started to move to her stomach on instinct but she held them by her sides, not wanting to show how his words had affected her. _Eyes forward, head high. Eyes forward, head high. _She repeated the mantra in her mind to distract herself from the fear the man before her caused. She did not turn her eyes away from him as she heard Lancel speak.

"W-we just need to make it to the nearest Lannister camp, my Lo—"

"I am not your _Lord_." The Hound turned his eyes onto Lancel but stayed close to Melara. _Does he think that I will run? Why is he stopping me?_ She shifted her weight to try and put more distance between her body and the Hound. The movement brought his attention back to her, his eyes freezing her body like a doe that just caught the scent danger. When he continued to speak, it seemed to Melara that he spoke with too much anger, too much thought, for it to be directed just at her. "You're running back to the fucking Lannisters. You do that and you will be trapped in a cage until you've given them what they want." Sandor nodded his head towards Melara's belly, indicating that the child was what the Lannister's wanted. "And when you've done that, they will throw you to any man that will have you."

"Jaime wouldn't let that happen."

"How long will you wait for your precious Golden Knight to save you? You are just like the Little Bird, can't see what it takes to protect yourself." Sandor saw the confused look on her face but pressed on, as he should have with Sansa. "The Lannisters will be your death, they won't care that you are just a girl. I've killed ones younger than you for them. Listen to me, Girl. Do what you are bid by your King here."

"If I stay here, Robb will just hand me to my father when we reach The Wall. Then what will happen to me? My child will be ripped from my breast and I'll be given to whatever man my father deems the most beneficial match. There will be no difference from the Lannisters. But at least I know that evil. I do not know the evil that Father is capable of." Melara felt the tears begin to run down her cheeks, each sorrow encased in the salty liquid. _Why have the Gods continued to curse me? All I ask is to be left with Jaime, our child and no threats on my life. Will that fantasy ever become a reality?_ The Hound did not back down at the sight of her tears, but instead brought his hands to grip her arms. He could see the same delusional, innocent girl that was Sansa in the way that Melara spoke. He knew that Melara's fate would be the same as Sansa's should she return to King's Landing.

"Get rid of the babe. Forget the fucking Lannisters and marry the _King_ in the North. If you were a smart girl you would've already done just that." Melara felt the scream building in her throat at his words. She had been called many things, been told she w_as_ many things. But never had anyone insulted her intelligence in the way that the Hound just had. _And he tells me to murder my child? Who is this monster?_ Melara knew that the man before her had become numb to emotions, feelings, what was right and what was wrong. It just confused her more that he would be seemingly trying to save her life with his advice, no matter what she must do. _'Get rid of the babe.' I never could. My child._ She finally moved her hands to cover her stomach as she spoke, shielding the child within from the dangers of the world.

"I can't."

"Can't or won't, Girl." Melara was becoming very tired of people asking her that question. She made a vow to herself that the next person to ask her that would receive a slap. _I should just leave with poor Lancel. Be done with all of this, go to Casterly Rock and be left alone until I've had my child. _Melara put her hands back at her sides, clenching her fingers together in anger. _How can he think I could kill anyone, much less an unborn child? My unborn child. _Her tears had stopped, but she did not wipe away the traces as she stood as tall as she could, still dwarfed in comparison to the man who's hands held her in place.

"I. Won't."

She stood toe-to-toe with the Hound for a moment, neither speaking nor willing to back down. Melara felt his grip on her arms tighten and she could not hold the wince of pain from showing on her face. If he noticed or if he cared she did not know, but she did see the way he was looking at her but not truly seeing her. _Who does he think about when he speaks to me like this? Was there once a woman he tried to save before from doing something he found would only bring her arm?_ Melara shook her head at the ridiculous thought that the Hound would ever f_eel_ things about a woman, the man too cruel, too deadly to feel anything. _But Jaime's feels. He has killed and yet he still shows me a softer side, a gentler side. Can all men be like Jaime?_ Melara could almost hear his voice telling her that there were no men like him, only him. She smiled despite herself, remembering the times he had been so gentle with her, and the first time he told her of his love and the way he made love to her. The last thought caused a flush to form on her cheeks, among other reactions from her body. When the Hound saw her cheeks redden he instantly released her, not understanding what had caused the sudden shift in her. Lancel made his presence known once more, timidly calling to Melara. She cast one more glance as the Hound before walking to one of the soldier's horses that was tied nearby. She untied the small chestnut horse, knowing it would be one of the fastest because of its size, and brought the beast to Lancel before she spoke.

"Go, Lancel, before anyone can kill you. Ride to anywhere but here, return to your family if you must. But I ask of you, just this one thing. Find Jaime, my husband, and tell him…" Melara tipped her head back, looking up to the sky as if the words she wanted to say would fall from the heavens. _Gods, I want to go to him, I want to be with him, I want him to be with me when our child is born. _Melara lifted her head when she heard the shuffle of fabric and the groaning of leather as Lancel mounted his newly acquired steed. "Tell him…I understand. And I am well." She felt the baby's movement, thinking that the babe was asking to send its father a message. "_We_ are well." Lancel nodded and Melara moved back towards the Hound, refusing to watch as the last chance of escape, of seeing Jaime, rode away.

Melara had wanted to send many words to Jaime. Some of thing questioning, some of them angry, some of them of love. But instead she couldn't help but understand the choice that he had to make in King's Landing. It was similar to the choice she was faced with, chose the path she wanted and the path that she should take. _With the Lannisters I would surely die, but with Father I still have a chance at life, for both my child and me. _She returned to the Hound but did not stop to speak to him, afraid of what she might say. Instead she walked in front of him and started the journey to her tent. She considered returning to Robb's tent to retrieve the gift he had given her, but thought that of what she had just done. _Oh, Gods. He is going to throw me from camp. He is going to be furious. Lancel could run straight to a nearby Lannister army and attach. Robb's hundred men will be no match for an entire army. _She heard the Hound following her, assuming that he was making sure that she actually went to her tent and her plans of leaving camp were gone.

Melara felt a panic at her recent actions, feeling her chest burn with fear for what Robb's men would say about her now. They would call her a traitor as well as a whore now. Melara saw the flap of her tent just ten feet away and quickened her pace, wanting to be hidden away when it was discovered that Lancel had left. _Gods, why am I so stupid? I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have done that. _Melara could only think of the horrible thing she had done. She had given Lancel the means to escape, as well as give away their position and how many men Robb had with him.

"My Lady." She turned her head at the sound of Brienne calling to her. She was pulled from her thoughts when she noticed that Brienne supported a bloodied Gendry next to her. She rushed over to the pair, noticing that the Hound had taken up position by her tent, and tried to get a better look at the boy. From the looks of him, with his handsome face having multiple cuts and bruises, Melara could tell that his wounds were caused by another person and not self-inflicted.

"Who did this?" Brienne shook her head and told Melara to open the flap for the tent, needed to lay the beaten boy down so he could sleep. Melara did as she was told, ignoring the curious look the Hound gave Gendry, and once inside gathered a rag and basin of water. Brienne laid Gendry onto the pile of furs that were intended for Melara, but the girl made no protests. _I doubt I will be sleeping on this night._ Melara turned to Brienne and questioned the Maid once more before she started to clean the blood from Gendry's face. "Brienne, what happened to him?" Brienne stood tall at the foot of the pile of furs and stared down at Melara, contemplating how much she should tell the girl. Melara knelt next to Gendry, thankful that her belly was not so large as to cause discomfort while she knelt, and looked up to Brienne.

"He heard some of the men speaking of you, in less than a polite matter. He defended you, and the men took offense to a bastard boy speaking to them the way he did. Three of _King Robb's_ men jumped him while twenty more watched. Those men may be more sore than Gendry in the morning." A look passed over Brienne's eyes and Melara could almost feel the pain that Brienne must have inflicted on the Stark Men in defense of Gendry. She nodded her head, not wanting more details than necessary, and began the task of cleansing Gendry's wounds. From what she could see, it was only his face and a few scattered bruises on his arms. She passed the next hour gently washing him, thinking that this could have been her, that the men would not hesitate to do the same to her. Gendry was mostly silent but each time he let out a small groan of pain, it shot straight to Melara's heart. _This happened to him because of me. This stranger suffered because I am here._

Once the time had passed and Melara had washed Gendry's face, she felt fatigue pulling at her. Brienne had left just after she had told Melara why Gendry was in the condition he was in, leaving her alone with Gendry. She contemplated moving him and lying next to him, being so tired and not caring where she slept, but changed her mind. _I don't want anyone to come in and see me lying with him. I have too many rumors about me and problems surrounding me as it is._ Melara went to the entrance of the tent and peeked through a small opening to see if the Hound or Brienne stood outside. She would feel safer and fall asleep easier if she knew she was protected, thinking that the Hound would protect her from harm after the way he had spoken to her earlier. _No, he was speaking as if I was someone else._ Finding no one at the entrance, Melara returned inside and saw some extra blankets that hand fallen to the side of where Gendry lay asleep.

"Better than nothing." She whispered to herself and started to arrange the blankets on the opposite side of the tent from Gendry. She laid her sore body down and adjusted into a comfortable position, feeling the babe move within her. It still amazed her to think that in just a few shorts months she would be holding her child. _Will my baby survive its first days of life after being born at the freezing Wall? _She closed her eyes and was asleep almost instantly, her dreams filled with Jaime surrounded by blond haired children. It seemed as if she had only just closed her eyes and slept for only seconds when she was awoken many hours later by raised voices outside of her tent. If she learned anything from staying at this camp, it was that raised voices were never good. Melara rolled to her side and felt just how sore her body was. She took longer to stand than she normally would, and by the time she was fully on her feet Robb's voice was clear outside her tent. _He is not who I want to speak to right now._ Melara looked at the bed where Gendry had fallen asleep and found the boy to still be there. He stirred a bit as Robb walked in, but did not fully wake. Meara moved her body to sit in a chair, knowing that whatever Robb had to say to her would not be very kind. When Robb saw her sitting before him, it reminded him of the time he had confronted his mother after she had set the Kingslayer free. And now it was another woman in his life who had sent a Lannister man on his merry way.

"I'm going to ask you two questions. I want answers. Don't lie to me, Melara." She nodded her head, her eyes not quite meeting his, and he saw the way she fidgeted in her seat. He didn't even have to ask to know the answer, but he wanted to hear the words fall from her lips. He stood before her, his dark fur-lined traveling cloak making him look bigger than he was, and intimidating Melara. His voice was hard when he spoke, the anger the he felt could be heard in his voice. "Did you help the boy escape?" Melara nodded once more, waiting for the question she knew he would ask. "Why?"

"He would have been killed if he would have stayed here! He was only sent to deliver a message to me, not to cause such trouble."

"Tywin Lannister does nothing without reason. He sent that boy to find our location, knowing that if our scouts found him he would be brought directly into camp. And now he has our numbers, our whereabouts and the advantage!"

"And what would you have me do? Condemn a boy to death?"

"You've saved one life but sacrificed one hundred. Will the Lannister soldiers be as kind as you, allowing my men to go free once they are upon us? As soon as that boy tells any Lannister army where we are, they will march, there numbers nearly ten to ever one man in this camp. You ride with the King in the North, Melara. You can't do something without thinking."

Robb watched Melara stand, fighting the urge to help her. He needed to distance himself from her, now more than ever. When Melara helped Lancel escape, he knew that it would only be a matter of time before one of the men made her pay for the treason she had committed. He had been called to stop the men from beating the boy who lay on the furs behind him, and later found that Gendry had been defending Melara against the cruel words of the Stark Men. The longer Melara stayed in the camp, the more trouble she would bring. A small part of him almost wished she would have left and gone to the Lannisters. Her voice was timid when she spoke, causing some of Robb's anger to leave him.

"I know, Robb. I regret what I did. I am sorry." Robb felt as if he was Ned Stark and she was Arya as he reprimanded her. _Father would not scold us as I am scolding Melara, he would show kindness and set us right._ Robb finally walked towards her, but did not reach out to touch her or hold her as he had done just the night before. She kept her eyes focused on the heavy cloak he wore to distract her from what his eyes might hold. His voice was soft, just the way she always remembered it, as he spoke to her.

"We have to leave camp, you and I. We will travel faster without all of the men, and it is too dangerous to stay together now that the Lannisters know how I travel." Melara finally looked up to meet his eyes, a questioning look on her face. She opened her mouth to speak but Robb continued on. "We can hide the two of us better than we can hide a hundred men."

"Brienne? Gendry? What of them?" Melara leaned around Robb to look at the lump on the pile of furs. She knew that Gendry's injuries were not threatening his life, and that he would only be sore. She could not leave him here after what had happened at the hands of the Stark Men. _I will not have saved Lancel just so Gendry could suffer because of me._ Robb turned his body to look at Gendry, as well. Robb also knew that Gendry could not stay in the camp for fear of what the men would do to the 'supporter of the traitor', as Robb had overheard his men call the boy in regards to Melara.

"Both of them will come with us. Four is still quicker than one hundred." Melara gave the King a small smile at his words, feeling safer already for having Brienne joining them on the journey. He did not smile in return, but gave her a nod of his head in acknowledgment before turning back to exit the tent. He paused a moment, turning his head to speak to Melara over his shoulder. "We leave as soon as you are ready." He left her with her thoughts then, his own mind clogged with thoughts of the journey North. He knew that he had to make it to Stannis at The Wall and he knew that he had to get Melara away from the camp before she lost him his men's loyalty. The only option he could find was to take her the remainder of the journey alone, away from the rest of the camp. He had instructed the men to continue North, still planning on taking back Winterfell once Stannis joined forces with him.

Melara gently nudged Gendry awake, helping him to sit up before slowly explaining what was happening. It took near another hour for the party to set out, with both Gendry and Melara slowing them down. When Melara was finally mounted on her bay mare, she looked to the people that would be her traveling companions for the next weeks. She was surprised to see that the Hound had joined them, but realized that he would prefer to leave the Stark men as well, not truly being accepted into the ranks. _Brienne, Gendry, the Hound…me. None of us are trusted by the men in the camp._ Melara was relieved to be leaving the camp and the threats of the men, but became nervous when she realized that it meant the smaller group would reach The Wall and Stannis Baratheon that much faster.

_Gods, help me be strong for what is to come._

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Reviews are sparks to my creative flame. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I am sorry if things are still pretty slow, but I can't rush these first chapters. Things pick up drastically once we hit chapter ten. That's only two chapters away! Next chapter: Melara and Co travels further North and Jaime meets...someone...a couple of someones actually...any guesses?


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

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Melara had never particularly enjoyed the snows in the North, but had never hated them either. The further North the party rode, the more Melara was grateful for the chill in the air. As the days passed along, her pregnancy was progressing faster than she expected. _Not that I knew what to expect._ She tried to recall how many months had passed since she had been intimate with Jaime, but each thought of him was becoming more and more distant in her mind. _Did any of my time with him even happen? _As if to remind her that she had indeed lain with Jaime, the child began to move within her. She shifted the reins into one hand to try and feel the movements against her hand. What once was a gentle sensation was becoming stronger each day, and each prod and poke only made Melara's anxiety grow.

She cast her eyes to her left to see Robb staring off into the distance, his features softer than they had been since Melara had been reunited with him at the Twins. It was hard to tell if Robb was more relaxed because of the familiar territory of the North or because he did not have to be King in that moment. He could just be Robb. _But I will never be 'just Melara' anymore. I will always have a cloud of worry above my head._ She furrowed her brows as she brought her eyes to the snowy path ahead of her, lost in her thoughts of what was to come for her.

"And what troubles you _today_, my Lady?" She was pulled from her thoughts by Gendry's voice drifting to her ears. She turned her head to the right, facing the boy fully, but did not speak. Although it had been two weeks since they had departed from the other men that traveled with Robb, a slight yellowing on his skin stayed as a reminder to Melara of what had happened. His bruises and cuts had nearly healed and his spirits remained high, but Melara would not stop blaming herself for what had happened. She had not asked him for the details, but that only made it worse when Melara would imagine the men attacking Gendry for standing against them. _I still do not understand why he would do that. He could have just let them speak ill about me, but he did not. He must be one of the last decent, honest, good men left alive. _She let a faint smile play on her lips as she looked at him, feeling just a bit less alone. He gave her a smirk in response, one that another girl would find handsome but to Melara it made him look too similar to her uncles to feel any attraction.

"Shall I choose just one trouble, _Ser?_ The hours grow short in the day, too short for me to begin with the tale of _all _my troubles." Melara was glad to have Gendry along to distract her on their long journey. The first days had been tense, awkward, throughout the group, none of them knowing how they should act around the others. They traveled mostly in silence, Brienne, the Hound and Gendry being silent-types as it were, and the silence irritated Melara more than the stops she made nearly every hour to relieve her bladder. On the fourth day of travel alone, she had attempted conversation with each of her traveling companions, and found that Gendry was the only one willing to have a conversation. She hoped that the camaraderie they had built over the last two weeks of travel would not shatter once they arrived at the Wall.

"She is right, you know. The sun will be setting soon, we need to make camp." A murmur of agreement came from Brienne, and within the hour they were in a dense forest setting up the single tent they had brought with them. At first, Melara was nervous about the five of them, plus the two direwolves, sharing one tent but the farther North they rode, and the colder the nights became, she was grateful for the warmth the bodies in the tent gave off. But every now and then her body would heat and she would feel the need to run into the frozen night, the heat too much for her body. And that night after supper had been eaten and everyone had laid on their pile of furs, Melara began to feel the familiar suffocating heat encasing her body. Heaving a sigh, she pushed herself to stand from the pile of furs and made her way to the entrance of the tent. If anyone was awake, they either did not notice her leaving or did not think to stop her.

The moon was full, round and nearly yellow, the light streaming through the frozen trees and giving Melara just enough light to see. She did not wander away, but simply stared at everything that surrounded them. Melara took the fresh air into her lungs, closing her eyes to take in the sounds of the forest. _This may be one of my last moments of freedom._ Melara's eyes remained closed as her mind showed her images of what would happen when they arrived at the Wall. She saw herself locked in a room, hearing the cries of her child but unable to go to the babe as her father silenced the cries permanently. Her eyes shot open, the tears almost freezing, at the image. She knew that she would be powerless to stop him if Stannis wanted the babe dead, but that did not mean she wouldn't fight until her last breath to keep her child safe. _I have to. I would rather die than see my child murdered. _

She felt the familiar prod from within and set her right hand on her stomach, but had yet to feel the movements from the outside. Melara closed her eyes once more, relishing in the stillness of the forest as she simply felt the life within her move about. In a moment like this, Melara was able to forget everything. The death, the pain, the heartache, the lonliness. _Everything._ She did not want the moment to end, but when she felt the movements still there was no reason to stay out in the cold. She felt alone again, more alone than she had ever felt, as she turned back to enter the tent. She paused as movement in the forest caught her eye, just ten feet or so away from her. She nearly called out when the being that had moved walked closer and into the light. A small deer slowly crept closer to Melara, not having seen the human standing so close. Melara didn't even breathe for fear that the animal would run off, so transfixed on the animal that made up her family's sigil.

She could see that the deer was young and most likely a doe if she had to guess. The little fawn was just five feet from her when it became started, looking in the direction opposite from where Melara stood. The girl nearly startled herself, but calmed when Grey Wind stalked view. _That must have been what spooked the little fawn._ The deer had yet to move but the direwolf slowly moved closed, the shifting of its weight nearly missed by Melara. _Oh, Gods. Grey Wind is going to massacre that little thing._ Melara did not know why, but she wanted to save the helpless creature. She wondered if it was because she hoped for someone to save her from Stannis as she was about to save the fawn from Grey Wind.

"Grey Wind. No." Her voice was no more than a whisper but the small deer seemed to snap out of its freeze and bounded away. Grey Wind turned to chase his prey, but Melara spoke again. "I said 'no', Grey Wind. You'll not feast on deer tonight." The direwolf let out a small growl but made no move to follow the fleeing deer. She stared at the direwolf just a moment longer before pushing her way fully into the tent. She couldn't be sure that the beast would obey her and not slaughter the deer, but if Grey Wind truly wanted to taste blood she could not stop him. Whenever she would feel the urge to run from Robb and to Jaime, the thought of the dangers she did not know would stop her. She pictured herself as the lost little deer that she had just saved from Grey Wind, hoping that someone would save her if she was ever faced with her death.

Her feet made no sounds as she crept along the snow covered ground inside the tent and lay back down onto her pile of furs. The fire still burned strong, keeping the occupants warm despite being surrounded by snow. It still amazed Melara that she was as far North as she was and not frozen to death. She attributed their survival to Robb being taught by Ned how to survive the winters. _The Starks are always right, eventually. Winter is coming, but what evils do the snows bring with them?_ And in just one week, when the party rode through the gates of the Wall, Melara would be introduced to one of the many evils that lurked in the snowy North.

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It felt good to Jaime to have a sword back in his hand, not that he was actually using it. He strode through the halls of the Twins, men fighting all around him, with only one task on his mind. _Where are they hiding her?_ The three weeks it had taken them to get from Harrenhal to the Twins had been agonizing, and not just because of Roose Bolton and his men. As each day passed and they became closer and closer to the Twins, Jaime was getting more anxious to see his wife. He had imagined how their reunion would be, he had dreamt of it enough times that it nearly seemed real. Roose had given his men instructions that Catelyn and Arya, who the ravens had said were left at the Twins along with Melara, were to be brought before him unharmed. _I won't trust any of these men with Melara. I have to find her first._ Jaime heard the screams of a woman coming from behind a closed door to his left, his blood turning to ice thinking that the woman that sounded as if she were being killed was Melara.

He burst through the heavy wooden door to see a man tearing the clothes off of a young blonde-haired woman. Jaime was relieved that it was not his wife and nearly left the girl to her fate at the hands of the Bolton man before her terrified eyes turned to him. _I saw that look in Melara's eyes before. Gods, that could have been her. This man could of…Any of the men that I've ridden next to for the last three weeks could be…right now…_ His grip tightened on his sword, before striding forward and pulling the man from the girl. The man, smaller and younger than Jaime, took a swing but Jaime was able to easily dodge the blow. The girl gripped her clothes in her hands, holding them around her, and ran through the door that Jaime had left open. The man's eyes following her every move, as a beast would watch its prey.

"And now she's run off. You could o' 'ave a turn, but now we'll 'ave to get 'nother one." Jaime could not stop himself as his left hand balled into a fist and connected with the man's jaw. He knew that this was the way that things happened when a castle fell, and had really never become too upset over it before. But with him thinking that Melara was hidden away in one of these rooms, it became personal. The man stumbled backwards while holding his jaw, Jaime resisted the urge to shake the sting in his knuckles away. He let out a sort of growl before making his way back into the hall, and back into the fight.

Jaime shook his head, clearing his thoughts and focusing once more on finding Melara. Jaime did not admit it to the man, but it had been very clever what Roose had planned. _Or maybe it was Father. This is something he would plan, but not dirty his hands with._ The maps of the secrets of the Twins had been accurate and gave Roose the advantage over Robb's loyal men that had remained. Although the Bolton men, plus Jaime, had infiltrated the towers, they still had to win the battle against the unsuspecting enemy. Jaime nearly protested to Roose that there was no honor in attacking in the middle of the night, but he knew he should be the last man to decide what was honorable and what was not. _Everything can be viewed a good or bad, the decision lies with the person viewing the act._ The sounds of the battle still raging in the hall made it to Jaime's ears, pulling him back into action.

He took long strides through the door and continued his pace as he walked through the scattered men, taking a left once he made it to the end of the hall. He knew that he was getting higher in the tower, if the sights out of the window were anything to go by. The battle had spilled outside of the towers, and he could see the torches lit to give off enough light to see just a few feet in front of you, enough to kill a man. He saw a small door slowly closing to his left, and walked over to see it was the entrance to a small winding staircase. _Who is hiding on the other side pushing the door closed so quietly? _Jaime pushed the door open as wide as he could but still needed to turn sideface to get through the door way, feeling the resistance of a being on the other side.

Jaime could tell by the level of force stopping him that it was not a man hidden behind the door, the level of strength being that of a woman. He switched his sword into his left hand, the feeling extremely foreign, and led with his right side through the doorway. He saw the door coming towards him and pulled his hand back just as the person on the other side made a last effort to run. He pushed through the door once more but the person, much too quick to be an adult, had already made it up the winding staircase enough to be out of sight. _Melara could be that quick, but not when she is nearly six months along. _Jaime followed as fast as his armor would let him, which was faster than another man's armor would but too slow to catch whoever he was chasing up the stairs. He knew that he needed to ask where she was if he were to reach her quicker than anyone else and fully intended on asking the person he was chasing.

He was about to halt his chase, feeling the sweat rolling down his back from the heat trapped against his body by his armor, when he heard the voice let out a small curse and the sound of a handle jiggling echoing through the staircase. Jaime rounded the last corner to see a child pushed up against the only escape route, locking the door from the person who was trying to enter from the hallway, from the battle. He could not tell if it was a boy or a girl who stood before him, until the child turned to face him, a dirk held firmly in their left hand. It wasn't until she fully faced him, turning her grey eyes to piece him through his helmet, did Jaime truly realize who stood before him. It may have been months since he saw her, and even then he had not taken much notice of the girl, but her Stark eyes gave her away. _What's this, then? Surely she will know where Melara is, the two of them were raised together in Winterfell. They must have formed some sort of bond._ Jaime removed his helmet, revealing himself to Arya but she did not drop her weapon, instead she turned her body to the side in what Jaime recognized as a defensive position.

"Going to fight me, are you? How old are you, ten years? Maybe eleven? How do you plan on defeating a member of the Kingsguard?"

"I could push you out a window like you did to Bran, but you'd be killed not crippled. Or I could stab you in the back like you did to the Mad King. Or behead you like my father was." He could imagine what this girl would grow to be, seeing so much anger in her eyes yet being so calm about the situation she was in. _She would have been a fierce warrior had she been a boy._ He remembered thinking the same thing about Cersei before, but pushed thoughts of that time away. _Focus. _Jaime shifted his weight but made no move towards Arya, not wanting to corner the threatened girl more than she already was.

"Well, seeing as we have no windows, you are standing to my front and I am not willingly going to kneel before you, I doubt that I will be dying at your hands and you will not be defeating me in a fight." He let a smirk play on his lips and saw the way it made her grip tighten even more on her weapon. _Better she grip it tighter than try to throw it at my head._ He thought that the girl was too smart for that, too smart to rid herself of what seemed to be her only weapon, but pictured Melara throwing the dirk at her attacker. _She is somewhere, defenseless and I stand here exchanging quips with a child._ The smirk left his face and Jaime once again turned serious, his voice losing any playfulness that it had held. "Where is Melara?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"She is my wife." Jaime would offer Arya no more of a reason, not wanting to admit his innermost feelings to a little girl. He took a step forward then, hoping that his height would intimidate her into telling him. Arya stood her ground and remained silent for a moment, contemplating how she should answer. Jaime was nearly losing patience, feeling that each second that passed with Arya only left Melara unprotected in the Twins that much longer. He was about to speak again when Arya finally opened her mouth in response.

"She's not here." Jaime's instinct was to think she was lying, hearing no news that his wife had left the Twins. _But we heard nothing in the three weeks of travel after the rider came telling us that Robb Stark had left, along with his army. _He stared hard at Arya for a moment, contemplating any reasons she had to lie. _To protect Melara, because she hates me, I crippled her brother, my attack led to the death of her father. I'm quite sure I've forgotten some, too._ Jaime felt a sense of relief at the thought that Arya was lying to him, but it was short lived as he remembered saving a girl from the Bolton man just moments ago. _They could be having their way with her, right now. She could lose the child._ He leveled Arya with a glare, his hard voice causing the girl to jump a bit.

"You are lying. Tell me where she is."

"I don't know where she is." Arya did not want to tell him where Melara was, knowing that would give the Lannisters an advantage and so she lied to Jaime. It was not a complete lie, being that she knew where Melara was going but did not, in that moment, know exactly where the girl was. She continued when she saw the skeptical look upon his face. "I'm not lying." Jaime knew that he would get no useful information from Arya, and that it was only wasting his time. He put his helmet on before turning his body to mirror hers, sweeping his arm in a gesture intending to tell her to walk passed him.

"Well, my Lady, you've been no use to me. If you were a grown man, or even a boy, I would kill you but since you are neither." He gestured once again but she still did not move from her post guarding the door. "Would you prefer I kill you?"

"You are letting me go?"

"I'm letting someone else find you. I'm sure you can understand." Jaime nearly laughed at the confused look on the girl's face. It was as if she expected him to throw her over his shoulder and carry her straight to her death. _And maybe I would have, had things been different. But Melara will not forgive me for being the one to bring the Stark girl before Roose Bolton. She already has much to forgive me for, I am not giving her more._ Jaime made no move, but continued to speak. "Use your head, Girl. Go." Arya finally moved, her eyes never leaving Jaime as she crept along the wall beside him. She let out a gasp of surprise when his left hand shot out and caught her left arm when she passed his side, leaving her unable to swing her dirk at him. She was about to struggle when he spoke, his helmet making his green eyes seem to bore into her more intensely than they were before. "If you are caught…I never saw you. I'll deny anything you say. And if you escape…your father would be proud."

He released his hold on her arm and left her stunned for a moment at his words, Arya staring at his back as he walked away from her. She had expected to bash her head until her world went blank and then taken her even as he said he would not. He was a monster, all Lannisters were, yet he just walked away from her like she was not the sibling of his family's greatest enemy. She did not waste time thinking of Jaime Lannister and what he did and did not do, and ran back down the winding staircase with the determination to escape. _The Kingslayer is right. If I escape from here, Father would be proud._ She paused at the bottom of the stairs and waited with more patience this time. She never thought she would consider herself lucky for meeting a Lannister alone when she was under attack, never thought that she would walk away from a Lannister without the hate in her heart growing. She cast one more backwards glance, thinking of her mother before she opened the door and ran into the hall.

At the top of the stairs, Jaime had mirrored Arya's actions, but instead of thinking of Catelyn he thought of Melara. He unlocked the door and was met with the sounds of battle once again, women screaming, men yelling, swords clashing. It was a familiar sound, one that made his mind more focused than it did scattered. He saw a man lunging towards him, sword drawn and blood already dripping from the weapon. He did not recognize the man, and did not know who the man fought for, but that didn't stop him from defending himself. He cut the man down quickly, but another replaced man began his attack of Jaime, taking the place of his fallen comrade. _They are guarding someone._ He knew that this many men would not be in this hall if one of the doors didn't lead to someone worth dying for.

The second man fell just as easily as the first, leading Jaime to question why only boys seemed to be left at the Twins. _What is the challenge in this? Where is the honor in defeating a group of boys, unseasoned, green boys?_ Jaime saw the carnage around him, at least ten men had fallen in this hall before he arrived. There were four men who he guessed fought for Roose that continued to fight the Stark men as Jaime moved further down the hall. He entered the first three doors he found, but the rooms all stood empty.

When he made it to the fourth door in the hall, he found it locked and knew that someone of importance was hidden away in this room. He contemplated rushing against the door until the lock gave way, but dismissed the thought when he imagined injuring himself before the door opened. _There must be a way to get inside._ A smirk covered his lips when he assumed who was in the room, knowing that all the pieces fit for it to be her. He brought his balled hand up to the wood and gave off three heavy knocks, being sure that they would be heard over the sounds of fighting men, speaking just as loud so his voice would penetrate the thick door.

"If you open this door, no harm will come to you…or your daughter. She tried to make it through that secret staircase, almost was out before I caught her." He couldn't be sure if she recognized his voice, or if she had even heard it until he heard the lock click and the door open. He saw her standing, her hair down as if she had been awoken by the invasion of the Twins, with knife in hand and eyes as dangerous as any mother whose child had been threatened.

"Where is she? Where is Arya!" Catelyn should have known it was a trap, should have known to keep the door latched, but she had been around men with honor for far too long to remember the treachery and lies that other men spewed from their lips. She summoned all of her strength to try and push the door closed, but the hand before her was too strong. Jaime pushed his way into her room just as she started to thrash her knife at him. He was able to shut and lock the door before anyone else could follow, but it only made Catelyn's survival instincts go into overdrive.

"I did not lie when I said I caught her. But as for harm coming to her…she escaped from King's Landing, she can surely escape from here." Jaime turned back to face Catelyn and removed his helmet, revealing to her just who was in her room. Her eyes widened in surprise at seeing Jaime, his appearance much different from the last time they had met and him being the last person she would expect to calmly stand before her at the Twins. He had gained the weight back that malnourished caused him to lose, and his face was shaven as well as his hair trimmed. His appearance seemed to be the only thing that had changed from their last encounter, his arrogance shining through just as much as before. "Lady Catelyn, what a pleasure it is to see you again."

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	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Thank you to those who continue to show me support by reading and reviewing, it is for you that I will continue this until it is completed.

Enjoy!

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Catelyn was stunned for only a moment at seeing Jaime Lannister in her room, quickly remembering herself and where she was. A small part of her was relieved at the familiar face, but a much larger part of her was worried for what would happen to her now that the Twins had been overrun by enemies of Robb. _And Arya. What of her?_ Catelyn had been glad that Arya had been in her room when the sounds of clashing swords awoken them, even more so when the girl spoke of her plan. Arya had spent most of her time at the Twins wandering down different halls, finding different means of escape. She had told Catelyn exactly the way they must take, and that they needed to leave in that moment. Catelyn was able to keep Arya contained for a small while, but when the girl could stand hiding no longer, she gave her mother a final 'good bye' and left. Catelyn had tried to run after her, calling to the last child she had with her to return, but it only gave her position away to the enemy.

"You really should practice more control over your youngest girl, she's always getting herself into situations where she needs to escape. I would think that with you being her mother, she would know how to act like a proper Lady."

"Who are you to stand there and judge how I've raised my children. You've not raised your own, nor will you raise the child that Melara carries." When Melara's name fell from her lips, she saw the change in him, the way he stood straighter and his smirk left his lips. "She's not here. She left weeks ago, with my son." Catelyn saw the look in his eyes change, ever so slightly, but could not understand what it meant. Ned had given her a similar look when he would catch her being cruel with Jon. If she had seen that look on anyone besides Ned or the Kingslayer, she would have thought it was disappointment, sadness. "Melara is safer that way, with him." Jaime refused to allow Catelyn to control the conversation, even if that was the only thing she could control at the moment. He set the smirk back on his lips as he spoke.

"Is that what you tell yourself? Your own son pushed you aside for a girl in love with your enemy, taking her with him and leaving you to be captured. I can't imagine what that must feel like."

"You know very well what it is like to be a captive." Jaime got a far off look in his eyes, remembering his time spent as a prisoner in Robb Stark's camp. If he were a less honorable man he would do to Catelyn what was done to him, but the thought of Melara's crying face when she would discover that Jaime had allowed Catelyn to be treated that way stopped his thoughts of revenge. But he didn't need to let Catelyn know that.

"Ah, yes. That. Well, Lady Stark, it seems that our circumstances have been turned on us. Tell me, you've heard what they say about Lannisters repaying their debts, haven't you?" Jaime didn't think that Catelyn could pull her lips into a tighter line, nor her face become paler, but just that happened when his words registered to her. He took a step towards her but she did not move away, instead facing her enemy with bravery just as Arya had done. He sheathed his sword before holding his hand out to Catelyn, his open palm waiting for the knife in her hand. "We have things to discuss, Lady Stark. If you would prefer to discuss them with words, rather than blades, give me your knife."

"I'll keep my knife." He moved around her and sat as easily as he could wearing his armor at the table that stood near the window, the sounds of battle drifting in on the cold wind. She kept her eyes trained on him, turning her body to keep him in her sights. He motioned for her to sit opposite him, but she again refused his request, standing firmly ten feet away from him now. "Why are you here?"

"For my Lady Wife, of course. But seeing as two Stark women have told me she is not here, I really don't have a reason to be running the halls. So, why not enjoy the company of an old friend?" He motioned to Catelyn, indicating that he was referring to her. "Bolton and his men will have taken the Twins before the sun rises, with or without my help."

"And Arya?"

"Crafty thing, isn't she. I had her cornered in a hidden stairway, yet she was the one threatening me." Catelyn resisted the urge to smile at the thought of her little girl standing proud against their enemy as she heard Jaime continue to speak. "I did not stop her, but if she is caught I will have to deny that to Roose. Would hate for my reputation to suffer."

"Why?" He knew that she wanted the reason that Jaime would let Arya, practically a sworn enemy, go on her way. Jaime couldn't tell her the reason he let the youngest Stark daughter escape, he wouldn't. He would never let his thoughts of Melara, his weakness, be made known to be used against him. _If anyone were to know that she was my weakness, she could be used against me. I cannot choose my duty to Father over my duty to her any longer. She is my duty now, along with our child. _Jaime opened his mouth to give an answer, to spout a lie, but shut his lips with a slight shake of his head. He did not owe the woman before him a lie any more than he owed her the truth. The tension hung thick in the air between them, neither willing to be the first to crack, as the still waging battle sounded around them. A large thump sounded against the door, causing Catelyn to pull her attention away from Jaime and to the enemy that she could not see waiting on the other side of her door. She did not turn her head when Jaime's voice filled her ears, her eyes peering hole through the door as if she would be able to see what faced her in the hall.

"Lady Stark, you know what happens to women during a raid like this. If I were a less honorable man, you would have already been—"

"No man could ever be less honorable than you." If Catelyn had been facing him, she would have seen the effect her verbal strike had caused. The same thump repeated against the door, and Catelyn assumed that the Twins had fallen to the Boltons and they were ramming the door in. "You, the man who slayed the King he was sworn to protect."

"And yet I allowed a little girl to go free when I should have slung her over my shoulder and thrown her at Roose Bolton's feet to do with her what he willed." Jaime stood, once again feeling the sting of hatred for those who called him Kingslayer, for those who would never let him forget his damning moment. _Robert swung his hammer blindly around the fields while my actions lead to his final victory, yet he was the one celebrated. I should be thought of as a liberator, instead of the 'Kingslayer'. _He slowly, casually, made his way to stand between Catelyn and the door. "Compared to dear old dead Ned, I'm nothing more than scum to you, but without me by your side, you will not survive these men. And without you, I have nothing to offer _King _Robb in exchange for Melara. If keeping you alive if the only way to see my wife and have her back by my side then I will do it."

Catelyn would never say that she was grateful for Jaime Lannister's offer of protection, never offer words of thanks to him even if she felt it just a bit. She heard the door behind him began to buckle under the continuous blows, cutting her time short to think of a better escape plan. Catelyn had felt many regrets throughout her life, and now she would add another to the list for not going with Arya when the girl was still by her side. _That was my only option to escape here alive, I should have tried. But now, I must rely on what little honor Jaime Lannister has. _Catelyn searched his eyes for…something…anything that would give her hope that he would become her unlikely protector. As the door nearly burst off its hinges, Jaime turned his head to look at it over his shoulder, giving Catelyn a moment to view him more closely. She could see the tense way in which his jaw was set, showing Catelyn that he only portrayed the illusion of calm. _What other option do I have?_ She slipped the knife into her skirts, concealing the blade should she need it, before speaking.

"And how do you plan on keeping me alive amongst these men?" He turned back to her, the smirk planted back onto his lips. Jaime shifted his helmet into his right hand, Catelyn assuming that he would need to wear it if he were to defend against the men about to barge through the door. He took a step closer to her, his voice dropping lower, becoming more dangerous than the arrogant man he was a moment ago.

"The same way I've kept myself alive. Skill and luck." She saw his arm move, but it happened too fast for her to defend herself. Jaime brought his helmet up to connect with Catelyn's skull, the well placed blow meant to knock the woman out. Her eyes fluttered closed and Jaime was able to catch her just before she hit the floor, easing her body the remainder of the way down. "Forgive me, Lady Stark." He stood and faced the door just as the lock gave way and four Bolton men entered. _Skill and luck are all a man needs._ Jaime drew his sword, ready for the men to fight him as he stood between them and Catelyn's prone body. They did not charge him, but instead the man in front, who Jaime assumed to be the leader, spoke.

"Lord Bolton wants the Lady brought to him."

"And you expect me to carry her, do you?" Jaime did not sheath his sword, but did move to the side as one of the men came forward to carry Catelyn across his shoulder. Jaime did not let the men out of sight as the group traveled back to the base of the tower. He saw the carnage around him, the Bolton men stabbing the bodies lest one of them still be alive. The faint sounds of steel against steel could still be heard, and Jaime could only assume that the battle still raged outside the tower. _The other tower may have fallen like this one, though._ He followed silently and entered the room behind the men to see Roose seated behind a grand desk. The man had not blood on him, and Jaime questioned whether he had even participated in the fighting. _Not that I did a fair share myself._ Catelyn was thrown down onto the floor, none too gently, as Roose stood. He walked around the table and stared down at the woman, as if needing to confirm that it was truly Catelyn Stark.

"And the girl? Was she found with her mother?" Jaime assumed that Roose was referring to Arya Stark, and could not help the small smirk cover his lips. _Seems the little beast deserves more credit for escaping a castle under attack for the second time. Luck is once, skill is twice._ Jaime heard one of the men tell Roose that Arya had yet to be found, but she may have been hidden in the other tower. Roose nodded and dismissed the men, leaving Jaime alone with him and an unconscious Catelyn. He continued to stare down at Catelyn as he spoke, his soft voice sounding miles away rather than the ten feet away that he was. "You wife has not been found as well?"

"Lady Melara is not here."

"And you believe that?" Roose nodded his head towards Catelyn's body at his feet. "You believe _her_? She must be hiding your wife somewhere. When she wakes, we will retrieve our answers." Roose walked away from Catelyn and back around to sit at his desk, dipping the feather in ink and scribbling on parchment. Jaime assumed the man was sending Tywin news of the successful capture of the Twins. Jaime did not sheath his sword as he walked to the desk where Roose sat, staring at the man until he caught his attention.

"Inform my father that Lady Melara was not here in your letter." Roose flashed his eyes up at Jaime, but focused back onto the parchment just as quickly. He did not stop his writing as he spoke to Jaime.

"This is meant for my bastard, who sits in Winterfell. Informing him that he is to be married." Jaime did not speak, curious as to why Roose would be planning a wedding in the midst of a battle. He finished his letter before explaining more of his plan to Jaime, folding the parchment so that a raven could carry the message. "There are two remaining children of Ned Stark. After this war, there will be only the girl. If Ramsay marries a Stark, his claim to Winterfell will be stronger and the Northern men that remain once the Lannisters claim it will follow him more willingly."

"You don't even have the Stark girl."

"It won't matter. We will find another girl, similar in age and appearance, and claim it is her." Roose motioned to Lady Stark who had yet to awaken. Jaime couldn't help but think he may have struck the woman a bit too hard. "Lady Catelyn will confirm it or she will be killed." Jaime did not waste time trying to find the flaws to Bolton's plan, but instead saw the opportunity to travel closer to Melara. _If Lady Stark rides with me to Winterfell, I can send a raven to the boy to meet to exchange Melara for his mother. If I take Lady Stark and the girl they choose to play Arya Stark, we could be to Winterfell quicker than taking the entire army._ Jaime knew that Catelyn would not be pleased with him when she awoke, but she would be downright furious when he told her of his plan. _Skill and Luck. That is all I need to convince Catelyn to play along with Roose's plan._ Jaime couldn't help but hope that once he arrived at Winterfell, it would only be a short time before he was reunited with his pregnant wife. If Jaime could see the future, he would know that his hopes would come true.

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	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Thank you again for the support! I am not going to be using 'Jeyne Poole' specifically, as the role of "Arya" is not very important to my plot, but instead will just have a generic girl appear in this chapter. I hope this does not confuse or disappoint anyone. But if you lovely readers call for it, I can always adjust things and make the generic girl be Jeyne Poole in future chapters. I've left it open enough in this chapter just for that reason.

Enjoy!

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Catelyn awoke to an ache on the side of her head and a thundering noise in her ears, feeling the softness of a bed beneath her body. The foggy layers cleared slowly, bringing back memories of why it felt as if she had been trampled by an army of horses, her mind showing her flashes of the invading Bolton army, Arya running into the hall, Jaime Lannister's helmet coming up to connect with her head. She opened her eyes trying to alleviate some of the pain, and see if she was alone, but found the action only made the ache intensify and closed them once more. For the brief second that her eyes had been opened, she was able to see she was back in her room. _Perhaps it was just a dream, a nightmare? I could have hit my head another way._ Catelyn knew that the events had indeed happened when she heard Jaime's voice to her left.

"Get your mother some water, _Lady Arya._"Catelyn felt an odd mixture of relief and dread at hearing her daughter's name. She was glad to have Arya by her side, but knew that it meant she did not escape from the Twins. _And what will happen to us now?_ Catelyn opened her eyes enough to see her surroundings, taking in the sight of a girl with hair much too long to be Arya walking back towards the bed with a cup in hand. As the girl got closer, Catelyn noticed many things different about the girl that the Kingslayer had referred to as 'Arya'.

The girl was not as skinny as Arya, and was at least three years older, if not more, and obeyed Jaime Lannister much too quickly. _My daughter would have thrown the cup at him instead of followed his order. What has happened? Where is Arya?_ Catelyn began to sit up in bed, slowly shifting her body until her back rested against the wall. She held the left side of her head, her fingers skimming over the small lump that Jaime's helmet had caused, and held her eyes closed tightly once more, waiting for the pounding to stop. Catelyn felt the girl silently place the cup into the hand she was not holding against her head. She closed her fingers around the cup, her hand shaking slightly as she brought it to her lips. She sipped the water, feeling her dry throat moistening enough to allow her to speak without having to croak out unintelligible words. She head Jaime dismiss the girl to the far side of the room, opening her eyes in time to see the girl obediently nod and walk away. She stared after the girl and she finally spoke to the Kingslayer.

"Where is Arya?" Jaime turned to her, surprised that she had not started cursing at him for striking her. He wished that he could say he was doing it for selfless reasons, like saving her, but a part of him couldn't help enjoyed getting the small revenge for the time spent a prisoner at the mercy of the Starks. _That will be the only time I strike this woman, no man would blame me for seizing the moment. _As Jaime took in her appearance, more disheveled and unkempt, more fragile, than he had ever seen her, he did feel that he had seized the moment a bit too much and struck a bit too hard. _She seems much stronger than she is. _Jaime motioned after the girl who had just taken her leave with his hand, leaning his head forward slightly as he spoke.

"Lady Stark, you must have taken quite the blow to your head if you've already forgotten that your daughter is here in this room." He nodded his head towards her hand. "She served you the cup you now hold in your hand."

"_That_ is _not_ my daughter." Catelyn may have looked weak, vulnerable, but her voice had regained its strength the moment that Jaime's mocking tone hit her ears. She set the cup down on the table beside her bed, as if removing it from her hand would remove whatever lie the Kingslayer was trying to spread. Jaime looked back to the girl in question, seeing her seated near the window and staring at the sun rising over the horizon.

"Of course she is not Arya Stark of Winterfell. Look at how civilized and Lady-like she is." He brought his gaze back to Catelyn, seeing the fierceness in her eyes that only a mother would have when their child was being spoken ill of. Jaime had seen the same look in Cersei's eyes when he had denied Joffrey as his son, calling him a monster. He had earned a slap that night, and if Catelyn could reach him he surely would have earned a slap from her as well. _Melara has slapped me before as well. If she is brought to me in Winterfell will she slap me again? Or will she run to me, as much as a pregnant woman can run, and allow me to hold her?_ He saw Catelyn open her mouth so retort, but he continued before she could voice her thoughts. "Roose Bolton knows that girl is not your daughter, yet he has claimed that she is. He is counting on you to confirm it, as well as marry your _daughter_ to his bastard, solidifying their claim on Winterfell and the North." Jaime could see the protest forming on Catelyn's lips once the weight of his words had it her. He walked closer, dropping his voice so that the girl would not hear. "And if you do not, you will be killed and the girl will still be married to the Bolton Bastard, but she will not have the protection of being a high-born Lady that she would have if you claimed her to be your daughter. Roose will not stop his men from '_breaking her in_', I believe is the term, for the treatment she will receive from his bastard, since she had no protection. Lady Stark, trust me when I tell you to go along with the ploy Roose has set. It will allow you and the girl to remain safe, if only for a short time."

"You strike me one moment, then ask me to trust you the next?" Catelyn could not believe the audacity of the man before her. He had been the one to cripple her son, turn Melara from them, and if the rumors where true he had been the one to injure Ned and destroy many of her husband's personal guard those many months ago in King's Landing. Even as her life depended on it, Catelyn would never, _could _never, trust Jaime Lannister. "After what you've done to my family. To me. I will never trust you. How can I when that last we spoke you struck me with your helmet, and-"

"_You _were the one to put your knife away and stand within my reach. Did you expect any less from me than to strike you?" He straightened to his full height, leaning back and resting his hands on the hilt of the sword at his hip. "You would me, Lady Stark. I thought you knew me better." His words allowed Catelyn to forget the pain in her head, the throbbing behind her eyes, and focus on her hatred for the Kingslayer. She did not understand how Melara could have ever thought herself in love with Jaime Lannister, not understand what had drawn the young, naïve girl to the arrogant, infuriating man.

"Enough of your games, Kingslayer." Jaime let out a bitter laugh, the sound startling Catelyn. She clenched her hands into fists as she sat up straighter, testing the bounds of her recovering body. _I wouldn't need to be recovering if it weren't for the Kingslayer._ She watched as Jaime shook his head, the tone in his voice as if he was speaking with a child.

"Isn't it all just a game? You win or you die, I'm told. Seeing as you and I are alive and not yet dead, the game must not have come to an end. I have no doubt that the pawns," he motioned between Catelyn and the girl sitting on the other side of the room, "will not live to see who becomes the victor in this Game of Thrones." Catelyn, like most of the people in Westeros, mistook the meaning in Jaime's words. She thought that he had no interest in whether anyone of them lived or died, felt that he toyed with people just as his father did.

"And you expect me to force an innocent girl to become another one of their pawns, to be thrown away when she is of no more use, by claiming she is my daughter?"

"I am expecting you to protect your only living daughter. She escaped the Twins during the chaos. Even if she is found, who would suspect her to be your daughter when you've already claimed the girl here to be Arya Stark. How could Arya Stark, married to the Bolton Bastard and living once again in Winterfell be running about Westeros?" Catelyn felt her resolve slip slightly, not willing to admit that Jaime was making a valid argument but still seeing the genius behind his words. She looked to the brunette girl and simply stared at her as Jaime's words hung in the air. Could she do it? Could she condemn an innocent girl in the hopes that it would keep her real child safe? She looked back to Jaime and caught him staring hard at her face. When he spoke, it was the first time she had heard him sound sincere in the times that she had spoken with him and it took her by surprise. "Family, duty, honor. It sounds easy when they are just words being spoken, doesn't it. But when protecting your family clashes with your duty to fight against your enemy's every plan and when protecting your family means doing something you deem to be less than honorable, the lines blur, and you are left questioning yourself. Do you protect your family, serve your King or uphold your honor. You can't do all three, Catelyn." She did not understand what had made Jaime speak to her as if he were…sympathizing with the decision she had to make. It unnerved her to have the Kingslayer acting as if he were more than the arrogant, crippling, sister-loving, monster she had always thought him to be. She remained silent, too stunned, too confused, to speak.

A knock sounded, causing all three occupants to turn their heads to the door. Jaime looked as if he was going to speak more to Catelyn, but gave small shake of his head and instead made his way to the door. Jaime opened the door and revealed a dirty, weather roughened Lancel Lannister. He cast a look behind him at Catelyn before exiting her room and pulling the door closed behind him, giving the guards posted a threat should anything happen to the Ladies Stark. He walked down the nearly deserted hallway, hearing the footsteps of his cousin trailing behind him, and the pair made it to Jaime's room in silence. Once they were both alone and safely hidden behind closed doors, Jaime turned on Lancel and demanded why the boy was there. Lancel explained the task that Tywin had given him, to locate the Northern host and giving Melara a message to show Robb Stark that no matter where the girl went, a Lannister would find her. Jaime took hold of Lancel's shoulders in his hands once the boy reached the point in his tale where he had spoken with Melara.

"She would have left with me, but the Hound…he stopped us. Seemed to stop her." Jaime gave Lancel a firm shake, his patience with the boy almost nonexistent. Lancel could hear the tiredness coating his cousin's voice, but would never say anything about it to Jaime.

"And my wife? What of her now?"

"I couldn't say. She sent me from the camp before the Stark men could…" Lancel cleared his throat, not wanting to admit that a girl had saved him from the men's beatings. "She sent me with a message for you, Cousin. She says to tell you that she 'understands' and that 'she and the child are well'." Jaime released his cousin, telling the boy to go clean himself and find a meal. Once the door had closed behind him, Jaime ran his hand through his hair before resting it on the base of his neck, his fingers trying to run away the tension that had been building there.

The light from the rising sun filtered into his room, casting a yellow hue over the meager furniture and the remaining items left from the room's previous occupants. He saw mostly woman's things but did not care, only wanting to lie in the bed and give in to the sleep his body seemed to crave. Jaime began removing his armor, the task seeming to take longer because of the heavy feeling that had settled over him. It bothered Jaime to think of Melara heading North with Robb, more than he would admit. He assumed that it would only be a few more months before Melara would give birth to his child, and he was determined to be with her before that happened. When he had finally succeeded in removing his armor and his clothes, minus the trousers he still wore, Jaime moved to lie on the bed. His final thoughts before he drifted into the land of dreams were of his wife, traveling into the frozen North beside another man. Jaime knew that the blame could only lie with him, knew it was his own fault that Melara was not with him. _But soon, she will be. _With the hopes of his wife back in his arms on his mind, Jaime allowed sleep to overtake him, his dreams filled with visions of Melara wearing many layers of furs and surrounded by the snows that fell in the North.

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The finally week of their journey to the Wall seemed to be the worst. Each day Melara seemed to put on another layer of furs to keep away the cold and the snow, trading her dresses for the more practical clothing of a man. She felt ridiculous in her thick trousers and many layers of shirts, but did not complain when she was able to keep much warmer. As Castle Black loomed before them, Melara realized that she was grateful at the thought of a soft bed and thick walls around her for the evening. Gendry had been sent to retrieve enough food and supplies to last them until they made it to the Wall when the snows started to thicken. He had returned with a smaller ration than they had hoped, causing the group to push their horses day and night for fear that they may become stranded without food. Melara worried that Sia would not make the journey but her bay mare surprised her and trudged on, keeping right along with the war horses the rest of the party rode.

Melara had to squint her eyes to see Lady as the pair of direwolves broke free from the group, running as if they had caught a scent. She could barely make out their figures as they ran, squinting her eyes even further to see what had caused the wolves to react as they had. Specks of black could be seen scattered in the distance, but Melara just thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She did not turn her head, and even though Robb was yelling next to her she had a difficult time hearing him over the howling wind and the fabric that covered his face.

"C'mon, then. Let's get there before the night falls and we freeze." He kicked his horse, urging the beast faster and the others followed out of instinct. As Robb, Brienne and the Hound galloped away, Melara remained behind with Gendry by her side at a slower pace, her growing belly making the faster speeds too uncomfortable. She pulled her mare to a halt once the castle became clearer, Gendry stopping his own steed as well. She simply stared at the great structure before her, knowing that her father waited for her somewhere inside. _Will he receive me at the gate? And what of Jon? I've heard no news of him._

Gendry brought his hand up to give Melara's shoulder a squeeze, barely feeling the gesture through the amount of clothing she was wearing. He removed his hand and waited at her side instead of forcing her to continue forward. Melara waited only a moment more before squeezing Sia's sides until she was trotting once more. Gendry remained at her side even as they rejoined the rest of their party at the gate, the black specks she had seen before now taking the form of five men of the Night's Watch. There was no exchanging of words, both groups wanting to get inside rather than talk in the snow. Melara thought that she would have been crying or trying to escape once they arrived at Castle Black, but instead the young woman shed no tears, pushing aside all the fear she had felt, even if it was only for a moment.

With Gendry to her left, Robb to her right and the Hound and Brienne riding behind her and the direwolves trotting along in front, Melara sat tall in her saddle as she entered the main yard of Castle Black. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, seeing the men watching their arrival and finding a familiar face amongst them. She could see Jon Snow standing under one of the overhangs, a man standing to his left that Melara had not seen or spoken with for nearly ten years. Both men wore hard, serious looks on their faces, but Melara just assumed it was because they did not recognize her in all of her furs, with her head and face mostly covered. They came to a halt almost directly below where Jon and her father stood, and Melara could not reveal herself fast enough. She put a smile on her face as she looked at the boy who she had been raised alongside and the man who had given her life, expecting to see a reaction from the both of them. Instead they did not even acknowledge her presence, the smile slipping off her face as her father stared in her direction with no signs of recognition on his features. She vaguely heard Jon call out a welcome to Robb, but her attention was only focused on the man who had yet to look at her. One of the men who had escorted them inside came over to Melara, offering his hand in assistance. She continued to stare at her father even as he turned and walked away without a word, a woman dressed all in red beckoning him away. As the cold numbed the exposed skin of her face, the feelings of rejection she had felt for many years after her father had sent her away came back in an instant, filling her with many emotions but not allowing Melara to feel any of them. Feeling numb both inside and out, Melara finally pulled her gaze away from the place where her father had been standing seconds before, as the man on the ground at her side spoke.

"Welcome to Castle Black, m'lady."

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	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Explanation for no updates lately (skip if not interested): I had a lovely kidney infection that forced me into the hospital, and resulted in a spinal tap, painkillers and antibiotics. The day after I was released…terrifying family news. Now, thank you for the support you have shown this sequel. I will be trying to get back on an updating schedule, but right now things are kind of all over the place that I don't even know which way is up. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter.

Enjoy!

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Melara heard the heavy door close behind her just as the hot tears of rejection slid down her cheeks. She hadn't been expecting a grand welcome, but perhaps a wave, a smile, a _nod_, anything to show her father acknowledged her arrival. Instead he turned from her, as if the daughter he hadn't seen in ten years was not before him. She had been given a meager room, nothing but a bed with a small table and two chairs, but it was better than the tent they had been staying in. The fire had been built up, but the room still felt cold. _Cold as Father's stare._ She saw that the small pack she brought with her had been set on her bed, and she contemplated changing into a dress.

She felt ridiculous in her trousers, wondering how Arya could walk about in them with such ease, but enjoyed the warmth they provided. She was startled when the child in her womb gave off a strong poke against her skin, looking to her growing belly she was amazed. _Am I really six months past? It seems so much less._ She noticed the way that her male clothes and layers of furs hid the proof of her pregnancy. Melara looked to her pack once more, knowing that she had a warmer, Northern style dress within. _I can't hide anything. I have to show Father that I am not afraid…even if I am._ Melara peeled the layers off her body, quickly putting on a thin cotton shift before pulling the heavier dress on. It was nothing like the extravagant gowns she had worn in the South, the fabric being a dull grey, and she wore her hair in a simple plait. There was not a mirror in her room but she imagined she looked nothing more than a simple common girl. _Jaime would comment on the lack of extravagance. _She had just finished putting on a warm fur cloak when a soft knock rang on her door. Melara turned and bade the person enter, not entirely sure who she should expect.

The door opened to reveal a much older looking Jon Snow than she remembered. Melara felt all the years of her stay at Winterfell come to her, all the years of Jon and Robb and Theon and running from them out of fear. She had still been a fearful girl the last she saw Jon, and he was nothing more than a Bastard boy looking for a place to be accepted. _Has he found that place?_ Melara thought that he would have stood awkwardly in her doorway wearing a kind smile and a soft look in his eyes. But Jon stood before her wearing no smile, his eyes having a hard look to them, as if they had seen too much. She took a step towards him as he spoke, his voice not the soft tone she remembered him having.

"My Lady, your father requires you-."

"Oh, Jon." He did not falter or pause when she tried to interrupt him, did not even look like he heard her speak. He only continued on, as if his task was all that mattered.

"To meet with him." Melara shook her head as she closed the distance between them. Jon continued to give her a hard look, only breaking contact with her eyes to glance at her bulging stomach before quickly pulling his gaze back up. When she was within arm's reach Jon turned to lead her to Stannis, but was halted by her hand grabbing at his elbow. Jon did not turn back to face her, refusing to allow anything, any _woman_, to distract him. They sat in silence for just a moment, neither knowing what should be said, until Jon remembered himself and his task. "This way, my Lady." He walked away from Melara, her hand slipping from his arm, and she simply stared after him for a moment. Melara knew that the quiet boy from Winterfell was gone and was replaced with a man hardened. When he did not hear her footsteps behind him, Jon turned to see Melara standing in the doorway. She heaved a sigh before shutting the door to her room and making her way after Jon. He did not wait until she stood next to him, but instead he walked a few paces in front of her, her questioning voice drifting to his ears.

"Why does Father require me to meet with him, Jon?"

"He said he has something for you. He's meeting with Robb now, we can sit in with them until they are finished." Melara nodded her head in silent agreement, even though Jon could not see her, wondering why she and Jon would be allowed inside a meeting between Robb and Stannis. Jon led them through the rest of the journey in silence, stopping before a seemingly innocent door. To Melara, the door held behind it everything she had wanted and everything she had dreaded, Stannis Baratheon. She straightened her back, which was becoming harder each day as her belly grew, and stuck her chin up trying to look the part of the confident Lady. Jon turned his head to her one last time and she could have sworn she saw a ghost of a smile, but he turned away too quickly for her to be sure. She felt a small sense of panic rise in her as he knocked on the door, pushing it open before hearing a response. _It's only Father. He wishes me no harm._ Melara tried to convince herself that this meeting would be fine, that he hadn't recognized her when she arrived and that was the reason he did not acknowledge her.

Jon walked through the door and she followed him inside the room, seeing that it was not a simple solar, but housed a large round table with maps nearly covering all the walls. She could only imagine that this was a room for planning, for strategizing. _Why would I be brought here?_ The four people at the table did not look up when Jon and Melara entered, too deep in conversation to notice the new arrivals. Melara saw that Robb and her father were there, along with the woman in red and a man she had never met, and moved to sit across from Stannis, the chairs to either side of her empty. She heard the urgency in Robb's voice as he spoke with Stannis.

"The Freys held the Twins for nearly six hundred years. You expect me to believe that my men couldn't hold them for six months?" Robb refused to believe that the Twins had fallen to the Boltons, refused to believe that his mother was now a captive. Stannis had been the one to tell Robb the news, the raven only arriving two days before. It had been sent by Roose Bolton himself, only adding salt to the wound.

"Your men aren't Freys. They know every secret there is to those castles, you and your Northmen do not. You never should have left the Twins so weakly guarded." The man that Melara did not know spoke bluntly to Robb, making her wonder just how much worth his title of 'King in the North' had at the Wall. She saw Stannis turn to the man, and expected him to reprimand the unfamiliar man for speaking to Robb in such a way.

"Davos, you can't expect a boy to plan like men." Melara couldn't help the widening of her eyes at her father's words. She looked to Robb and saw the way his jaw tightened and his hands balled into fists, his annoyance at being spoken about like a child plain to see. Stannis turned to Robb as well, continuing to speak. "You have made it through this War on luck thus far. But it will take more than that to crush the remaining Lannister forces."

"I sent my army to Riverrun to stop the siege there. The two major strongholds left will be Casterly Rock and King's Landing. Once they fall, so will the Lannisters." Melara could hear the tenseness in Robb's voice, never hearing him use such a tone before. _It's no wonder with the way Father is demeaning him like a child._ She looked to Stannis but instead her eyes met with the woman in red, their gazes locked for a moment. Melara felt the intensity of the woman's stare, as if she was searching for something. She pulled her eyes away and looked to Stannis as he spoke, but still felt the eyes of the mysterious woman on her.

"For each stronghold you claim, they will claim one of yours. You may have reclaimed Riverrun but you've lost the Twins in doing so. Your Northmen and River Lords may follow you now, but when you lead them in circles they will follow you no more." Melara had never paid any mind to the War around her, only focusing on herself, but as she listened to Stannis and Robb she realized that there was more to war than one man fighting another man. There was strategy and planning and skill. _And I've been used as a strategy, for both Robb and Father. Tywin didn't just want his name to live on, he wanted to send an insult. _Melara wanted to scream at herself for playing into Tywin's hands but remained silent as she listened to the men around her. _Was Jaime all a part of it? No, Tywin couldn't have known a war was coming. Jaime's affections were his own._ Stannis shifted his eyes slightly, catching Melara's gaze for a moment before turning back to Robb. "The Bolton's still hold Winterfell, and before that Theon Greyjoy claimed it for himself. If you cannot take back your home, tell me how you plan to take Casterly Rock, or King's Landing?"

"You proposed a joining of forces. Our combined strength will be enough to overthrow the Lannisters, after we have both rallied our bannermen." Robb tried to ignore the feeling that Stannis' words about Winterfell had caused, pushing the thoughts and feelings back to think of later. For now, Robb wanted to discuss what he came there for, joining force with Stannis Baratheon.

"You underestimate the strength of the Lannisters. Their numbers may be lessening but they still hold power over Westeros. Jaime Lannister's bastard sits on the Throne, and Tywin Lannister acts as Hand. As long as that holds true, the people will fall into the Lannister's hands. Not everyone has the want to overthrow the current King." Melara felt her blood run cold at the mentions of Jaime and the fact that Tommen sat on the Iron Throne coming from her father's mouth. It was no secret that Jaime fathered the child in her womb, just as he fathered Cersei's three children, but Melara couldn't be sure what that meant to Stannis.

"Is that what happened at Blackwater? You 'underestimated' the strength of the Lannisters?" Robb had enough of feeling like a boy amongst men. Stannis was acting as if he had done no wrong, made no mistakes in the war, and it drove Robb to mention Stannis' great defeat. The tension throughout the room seemed to double, the silence dragging out for minutes before Stannis spoke.

"The use of Wildfyre is not strength. It is the desperate act, performed by desperate fools." Stannis turned his eyes upon his daughter, his rightful heir if she had been born a male. There was no mistaking her lineage once he saw her face, recognizing the blue eyes staring back at him being so similar to Renly's. Stannis had not been expecting her arrival to affect him, feeling no real paternal connection to the girl, but seeing Melara had made his thoughts stray to Renly and Robert and things he had not thought upon for many months. As he looked at her in that moment, her dark hair hanging limply around her and her drab clothing, he only saw a girl who would have no more impact on the outcome of the War than a simple kitchen wench or cup bearer. But being seasoned in battle, Stannis knew that looks were often beyond deceiving.

Stannis brought his hand to lay upon the second letter that had arrived from the Twins, the one he had yet to share with its intended recipient. It had been marked for Melara but once Stannis saw the Lannister seal he had torn it open and devoured the words, expecting mind games and trickery. He was instead given reason to think that his eldest would be playing a part in his claim to the Iron Throne. As if sensing that he was looking at her, Melara turned her eyes are held her father's stare once again. When he continued to speak, Stannis kept his gaze locked onto Melara.

"And it seems that desperation is a common trait amongst Lannisters." Stannis pushed the parchment across the table towards Melara, leaning slightly forward but not standing from his seat. Melara looked from Stannis' face to the letter he was pushing towards her, her eyes slightly narrowed and head tilted in confusion. She was about to question him when she saw her name scrawled across the top, confirming that it was meant for her. Stannis pulled his hand back, and as Melara opened her mouth to question him, Stannis spoke first. "Go on, Melara. It is meant for you."

Melara felt the stares of the room's occupants on her as she extended her hand, her face flushing from the attention. She had to stand in order to reach the letter, and she nearly missed the look her father sent towards her belly as she sat back in her chair. Melara had not been expecting a letter upon reaching the Wall, knowing that the only people to send her letters were Lannisters. She felt a particularly strong movement of the child within her womb, as if the babe was excited at the potential message from its father. _Jaime would never send a letter here. Why would he? I have heard no news from him for months._

Melara tried to focus back on the conversation around her, hearing Stannis spoke to Robb about the Greyjoys, but found that she could not contain her curiosity and flipped the parchment over to break the seal. But when she saw that the seal had been broken, showing that someone had read the letter before her, Melara felt an instant anger build up. She thought that no one had rights to something for her eyes, King or not. She unfolded the letter and when she saw that it was from Jaime, she spoke without even pausing to think.

"The Greyjoys—"

"Who read this?" Melara's voice was strong as she cut Robb off, all eyes snapping back to the pregnant girl. She held up the letter, showing the broken seal to all in the room, and gave a nod of her head in its direction. Melara couldn't remember being as irritable as she had been since her pregnancy. If not for her mind being controlled by the strong emotions, she would have simply ignored the broken seal. She would have kept quiet and been grateful that it was given to her at all. But, as it were, Melara was beginning to lose the little amount of control she had over her swinging emotions.

"All letters are read by the King." The man called Davos answered Melara, nodding his head towards Stannis to clarify which 'King' he spoke of. Melara turned her narrowed eyes onto her father as Davos continued. "Especially those with a Lannister seal."

"You may have been welcomed into the Stark camp as a lost girl, but here you are still a suspected traitor. If you were not my daughter, my blood, by your name and that abomination in your womb you would be dead." Stannis was prepared for her to nod her head demurely, to accept his generosity to give her shelter and safety as a true Lady would. But he was underestimating his pregnant, seemingly scorned, daughter. Melara stood and placed her hands on the table before her, the letter caught between her palm and the wood. She was coming to understand what Jaime had meant when he said that Stannis would not help her anymore, not when she was a Lannister by marriage and carried one in her womb.

"I carry your _grandchild_, NOT an abomination!" At her forceful tone, Stannis stood as well and mirrored her position with his hands laid before him on the table. The others in the room had no desire to interrupt the pair, remaining silent as Melara continued to address her father. "How can you suspect me to be a traitor and then claim me as your own blood?"

"You wed Jaime Lannister, lie with him, carry his child, and from the words in that letter it must have been by your choice." Melara nearly faltered at the mention of what Jaime had written, her desire to read it in its entirety growing, but she held her ground. "You have brought shame to our family, to me, from your actions. In a war, if one of your fronts is weak the others do not matter. Your enemies find that weakness and exploit it until you are nothing." Melara opened her mouth to respond but the chance was taken from her as the Red Woman now held Stannis' attention. Melisandre stood next to Stannis, far too close to him, and whispered in his ear. Melara did not miss the intimate way that the woman set her hands on Stannis, making her wonder just who the strange woman was.

Stannis gave a nod of his head, showing his agreeance to what the woman had whispered to him, and sat back into his chair. Melara did not sit, but instead stood to her full height, holding the now crumpled parchment tightly in her fist. She resisted the urge to place her other hand over her belly, the child within becoming more active the more upset she became. She had only been near her father for a short time, but it was clear to Melara that Stannis was no better than being in the hands of Tywin Lannister.

"I will not argue with a child when there is a war to plan. I have given you what I called you here for, Melara, now take your leave." After Stannis gave the dismissal to his eldest, he turned back to focus on the men in the room. Melara kept her feet planted but did not speak, knowing that as soon as words left her tongue the tears would follow. She watched as the Red Woman moved from Stannis' side and began to move closer. When Melisandre was within arm's reach she spoke softly to Melara, her words drown out by the men who had begun to plan once again.

"Come. You are tired and there are no words you can say now that your father will hear." Melara knew the woman was right, knew that the man she had always imagined her father to be was not the man before her. She turned from her father, from Robb and Jon, and followed Melisandre out of the room without looking back. Once the door closed being the pair, Melara felt as if the slamming of the door broke the control she had over her tears. As the silent tears fell, she nearly cursed every God and man she knew for the way she went from furious to sad within seconds. She started back the way that she had come from, expecting the woman to stay behind. When she heard the soft footsteps following her, Melara halted and placed her back against the cold stone wall. She turned her watery eyes to the only other woman she had yet to encounter at the Wall, with Brienne not making an appearance since they had arrived just a short while ago.

"Is it always like this? Ca-Lady Stark told me that I would be joyous, sad, angry all within a few minutes until this babe is born. But, I don't remember her acting this way when she carried Bran or Rickon…" She wiped away the tears from her cheeks, feeling foolish for speaking to the woman as if they were acquaintances. "Forgive me, but I do not know who you are."

"Melisandre." The woman offered the younger girl no more, causing Melara to have more questions than answers. Melara pushed away from the wall and stood in awkward silence for a moment before Melisandre spoke again. "Your father will understand in time how special your child is, as will you. We have two cycles of the full moon to make you both see." When Melissandre began to stare at her stomach, the intensity made Melara want nothing more than to run back to her room and bolt the door. She nodded her head to agree, then began the walk back to her room. She did not hear any footsteps following her, and allowed some of the tension she was feeling to be released.

Melara made the short distance back to her room, only having to turn back around twice, and locked the door behind her. The letter from Jaime felt hot in her hand and she wanted nothing more than to read it. She did not bother taking her heavy fur cloak off as she moved to the bed. As Melara laid her body back she unfolded the letter once more, the anticipation at reading the entire message growing. Her head touched the pillow and the exhaustion from travel and her small discussion with her father made her eyelids become heavy. The words started to become blurry as she began to give in to her body's call to sleep. Melara brought the letter to her chest as she rolled to her side and curled her body as small as she could. She felt silly being comforted by the piece of parchment that Jaime had sent her, but in that moment it was the only thing she could cling to until Lady or Brienne or even Gendry came to her.

She closed her eyes and could almost picture Jaime sitting at a desk with quill in hand. Melara wanted nothing more than to read her letter, the only letter than she had received from Jaime, but her changing body's need was too great. She slipped in to the land of dreams, trying to forget the way Stannis had made her feel like a worthless child, the way that Melisandre had made her feel like a prized piece of livestock, and that she wanted nothing more than to be with Jaime. He may have done and said many horrible things, but they had never been directed at her. Melara dreamt of fleeing from the Wall, she dreamt of Winterfell, and she dreamt of Jaime holding a tiny baby boy. And as Melara dreamt, these same images were seen in flames, in another room, by another woman.

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	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

I'm sorry. I have not updated in an ungodly amount of time and I feel terrible. Seriously. To my loyal readers, will you forgive me? To be honest, I just lost the will to write. But, I decided it isn't just about me. To everyone that reads this story and those that favorite and review, I will finish this so that you may have closure.

I offer a special 'thank you' to blondie1010 for helping me with parts of this chapter and to everyone that has reviewed thus far. Even if you only review my stories one time, it does motivate me. Such kind words encourage me to continue. That is a hint that my writing esteem is low and I'm shamelessly asking for some words of encouragement. But only if you mean them. Especially if you just want to review that you love me. Don't we all want to hear that sometimes?

Well, enough of that. This chapter is long overdue so I will not go on and on and on and on with more boring AN.

Enjoy!

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Melara felt no more rested when she awoke some time later to a scratching sound at her door. Her dreams of Jaime had become more and more often, making her lonely heart ache deeper after each one. As she shifted her sore body so that she could sit up the parchment crumpled in her hand. When her eyes were drawn back to the letter from Jaime, Melara felt as if the ache inside her chest would fully consume her. Until that moment when she had realized the letter was from Jaime, she had only been feeling a sense of longing for him. Some moments she would feel that her time with Jaime had only been a dream it seemed so long ago. Her mind had been so focused on her pregnancy, the threats lurking in the Twins, the Starks, that she had yet to truly feel the sting of being apart from Jaime.

The tears slowly trailed down her cheeks as she stared at the bit of parchment in her hand. Melara could not be sure if her tears were from sorrow and loneliness, from missing Jaime or if they were tears of joy that Jaime had not forgotten her. _It seems so long ago that I was in his arms._ The scratching at the door became more insistent and accompanied by a low whine. Melara pushed herself out of bed to let in her direwolf companion, which she assumed was on the other side of the door. The letter never left her hand as she opened the door and Lady slipped inside Melara's room.

Melara closed the door quickly and bolted the lock once more, knowing that if a man were on the other side she would not have the strength to keep him out. Lady stationed herself at the foot of Melara's bed, sitting with her eyes trained on the dark haired girl. Melara leaned her back against the door and closed her eyes, causing more silent tears to slide down her cheeks. The gentle prod against her womb only made the tears come fast. _Catelyn told me this would happen more as the child grew. My child. _Melara took a calming breath and opened her eyes once more, wiping the tears away with the sleeve of her dress. She simply stared at Lady for a few moments, but the need to see what Jaime had written to her had finally overwhelmed Melara.

Crossing the distance to her bed, Melara sat on the end with Lady curled up at her feet. She slowly unrolled the parchment, one line being revealed gradually before the next. She found her given name clearly written across the top of the parchment, no Lannister or Baratheon attached. Melara couldn't help the spark of hope she felt at the thought of Jaime addressing her without a label of a family name. _He cares for me not because of my name or family, but because of the girl I am. _She knew that Robb had loved her the same way once, but that had been in another time. A time when he had not been called King. Melara focused once more on the letter in front of her, the proof that Jaime Lannister, her husband, was alive, and loved her. She began reading with the thought of her father already reading the words before her sitting on her mind.

_My cousin reports that you are faring well. Both you and our child. I am not a man of sweet words, so I will write none. I need you to return to me, before our child is to come into this world. You are not safe so far North, surrounded by nothing but men at the Wall. You belong by my side, my sweet Lady Wife. I have little doubt that your father will read this letter, but let him read. I travel to Winterfell along with the Boltons, and there is where I will wait for you. Inform Robb Stark that I will return Lady Stark and Winterfell. All he need do is return what rightfully belongs to me. You, my sweet wife. The days continue to grow fewer till our child enters into come into this world. Make your decision quickly, Wife and make it wisely._

Melara knew that Jaime wrote truthfully when he said that he was not a man of sweet words, but she still felt a vague sense of disappointment after reading his letter. _He did say that he needs me to return to him. He did not command it as Tywin Lannister would. And what of Catelyn? _Melara focused on the final words Jaime had written to her.

"What decision must I make?" Lady turned her gaze onto Melara at the sound of the girl's questioning voice. Melara felt the familiar feeling inside her womb, making it seem that even her unborn child knew that answer to her question. Melara read through the words once more, knowing that Stannis had read it as well. She could only imagine what he thought of her now, feeling dread through her veins. _How is it my own blood views me as a traitor, while the Lannisters send a messenger to welcome me back to King's Landing. _Melara placed her hands on her stomach, a rare smile set on her face. _Jaime wants this child. He is not ashamed._ The smile left her lips just as quickly as it came when her thoughts changed to the message Jaime requested she give to Robb.

Melara stood from the bed and slowly paced the room, her fingertips tracing along the cool stone walls as she tried to calm her racing thoughts. She wanted to return to Jaime, but that would mean betraying what little trust Robb and Stannis both held in her. It also meant she would have to travel alone through the snows to Winterfell. _I would never survive the journey on my own. I may be able to convince Brienne to join me. _Melara couldn't be sure if the Maid would readily help her leave the safety that Caste Black offered. _These walls may protect me from dangers beyond, but just as before the dangers from within are what I am afraid of._ She could see that the Red Woman held a position with Stannis, and the woman seemed to take an interest in Melara's unborn child. Both of those thoughts only made Melara's resolve to leave the castle harden.

She continued to pace until her feet began to ache and her hunger became overwhelming. Melara had made her decision, wisely and quickly as Jaime had said, but the only way she could survive would be with protection. Calling Lady to her side, Melara pulled the door to her room open and made her way through the halls in search of food and the Maid of Tarth.

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"Lady Arya, I believe your mother addressed you." Jaime had become familiar with tense situations, mostly because he had slayed a King yet remained appointed to the Kingsguard. _I still would be too, if not for Melara._ Jaime couldn't be sure if he was relieved to be free of his duties or angered. _Both, more likely._ The currently tense situation saw Jaime seated at a small table, eating a simple meal with Roose Bolton, Catelyn Stark and the false Arya. He may have caught the girl's name, but chose to forget it as quickly as he had heard it.

When he had stood by as the Mad King became lost deeper and deeper into madness, Jaime had learned the talent of feigning ignorance. If the people did not believe he knew something, they would not bother asking. It had been useful more recently concerning Cersei, and Melara for that matter. _It is always a woman that brings the most problem to a man. If Robert hadn't been so obsessed over the Stark girl, he never would have started a rebellion. But I suppose I am walking the same path that whore-monger walked. Leaving everything for my wife._ Jaime watched as the two women at the table shared a glance, before the younger nodded her head in Roose's direction.

"Forgive me, m'Lord, m—Mother. This journey had not been kind to me." Catelyn placed her hand over the young girl's that lay on the table. She had done the same action with her true daughters many times when they were troubled and the comforting gesture came easily to her in that moment. Lady Stark had lost count of the days since she had seen all of her children together, or even just one of her true born children. _The Gods have been cruel._

Catelyn caught Jaime's gaze from across the table, helping her rid herself of saddening thoughts and replacing them with ones of anger. It had been days since the party had left the Twins, and Jaime had said little more since their conversation in Catelyn's bedroom. But Jaime Lannister could make anyone become angered with only a few words.

"My Lord, perhaps you will excuse us for the evening?" At Roose's nod Catelyn and the girl stood, making their way quickly towards out of the tent. Catelyn had just put her hand on the flap when Jaime's voice calling her name stopped her.

"Lady Stark, perhaps you would join me for a walk? After your _daughter _has been safely tucked in, of course." Catelyn turned to face the man that had crippled one of her sons, fought against another, and corrupted Melara away from her. Her mouth was tight as she replied to Jaime, her voice showing no sincerity in her words.

"Of course, Ser Jaime. That would be lovely." She did not wait for a response, but pushed her way out of the tent as her false daughter followed closely behind. As a mother, it pained Catelyn to lead this poor girl to whatever fate the Bolton's had planned for her. She could only think that the Gods were punishing her for allowing Sansa to be left with the Lannisters for so long, until her sweet girl's death.

The men around her sent lecherous glares in their direction, but Catelyn strode by them with head held high and paying them no mind. If she felt fear, she refused to show these _pigs_. The sun was setting over the trees but the chill of the night had already set in. She had lived in Winterfell for many years, and had learned the signs from Ned long ago. Winter _was _coming.

Catelyn ushered the frightened girl into the tent they shared before entering herself. Without being told, the girl readied herself for sleep before lying on the pallet nearest to the fire. Catelyn was grateful when Roose gave the command to make camp for the night, as if was the first time during their travel. She had expected him to tie her and her false daughter to a post, but he had given them a small tent to share without an explanation.

It was only a short while before Jaime arrived outside her tent, calling to her name softly through the thin material. She hesitated for only a moment before heading Jaime's call, casting a quick glance to the silent form near the fire. She had been prepared to see the Kingslayer when she stepped outside the tent, standing with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword and an arrogant smile upon his lips, but instead it had been one of the Bolton men who called to her.

Catelyn saw that Jaime had yet to arrive, but instead she was alone in front of her tent with a man much larger than herself. _Apart from those men who stand there watching. _Catelyn did not fight the urge to return inside her tent, but only had time to turn her body slightly before the dark haired man took hold of her arm. When he started to pull her away from the tent, Catelyn struggled against him with the only effect being a chorus of laughter coming from the Bolton men watching the scene.

"What do you want from me?" Catelyn's voice was strong when she spoke, despite the fear beginning to take her over. She was a smart woman, and had already realized what this man intended for her the moment he took hold of her arm, but she spoke the question to stall for time. Time was all she needed when Bran was being attacked by the assassin, the direwolf coming to her rescue. Time was all she needed when attacked on her journey to bring Tyrion Lannister to the Vale, the half-man coming to her rescue himself. Time was all she needed when the Twins fell to the Bolton men, allowing the true Arya to escape and Jaime Lannister to rescue her, in an odd way of thinking. "Lannister!" Catelyn was only able to yell out for the one man who may be able to save her, the one man she would always view as her enemy. The man holding her arm swung his other hand to connect with her cheek, the blow hard enough to cause her still-healing head to ache.

"Shut-it now. Kingslayer won' be keepin' us from takin' a change with _Ned Stark's_ wife this time." She felt as the man pulled her toward the group of his eagerly waiting comrades. Catelyn had yet to form a clear thought, her vision still blurry from the hit she had received, when she felt her body be pushed to the ground. She kicked out at the men around her as their jeers and shouts became louder and cruder. Catelyn kicked and swung as hard as she could, refusing to allow these men to attack her without a fight. The distinct sound of a sword being drawn made it to her ears through the men's voices, causing Catelyn to briefly think they intended to flay her as the rumors had said.

The men had quieted their voices, and as Catelyn's eyes were finally able to focus she saw that she was surrounded by five Bolton men. They had all taken their attention off of her and turned to face the man who had drawn his sword, the man who had come when he heard her shouts. Catelyn watched from her place sprawled on the ground, dirt and sticks in her hair, as Jaime walked into the men with purpose. He lifted his sword before swiftly plunging it into the belly of the man who had been the one to pull Catelyn from the tent. Jaime did not speak any words, nor did any of the men offer any as their comrade's body fell to the ground as Jaime removed his sword. The man held his hands to his wound as the blood flowed onto the dirt below where he lay, Catelyn not able to look away from the red liquid. _It would have been my blood spilt, mixing with the dirt if not for the Kingslayer._ Catelyn had not noticed Jaime walking to her until he stood at her side, the hand not holding his sword held out in a silent offer of help, until he spoke her name.

"Lady Stark, I believe you owe me a walk this evening. A Lannister appreciates when others pay their debts as well." Catelyn gave a small nod of her head and allowed Jaime to assist her in standing. The men watched impassively as one of their own lay dying at their feet. Jaime kept his sword drawn as they walked away from the group, Catelyn casting one last glance at the men who were about to do unspeakable things to her. _If not for Jaime Lannister._ When Catelyn returned her attention to the man walking beside her, she saw that he had cleansed his blade but did not sheath it. He brought his hand up to her hair and pulled a twig that had attached to her hair during her struggles. She watched as the twig fell to the ground, narrowing her eyes as she became lost in her thoughts.

They only walked a few feet when Catelyn felt a panic rise up in her for the girl sleeping inside her tent. She turned and quickly made her way back to the tent, hearing Jaime's footsteps behind her. She avoided looking at the dying man on the ground less than ten feet from her tent and walked with purpose thought the flap. Jaime entered behind her without a word. She didn't realize her hands were shaking until she tried to straighten her dress. She turned to face Jaime, finding that he had taken a seat in the only chair that had been given to the two women.

"I—Thank—."

"Save your thanks, Lady Stark, until you hear what I have to tell you." Jaime had been delayed in arriving at Catelyn's tent because of his talks with Roose. He had only been trying to discover a plan that would keep Catelyn alive until Melara arrived in Winterfell and he could send Lady Stark on her way, and had not intended to lead Catelyn into a trap as well. _Damn Roose Bolton for his cunning_. When he heard the scream of the Lannister name being pulled from Catelyn's lips, he knew that only something terrible would be happening to cause it, he had just left the tent after Roose had made his intentions known. _I have saved Lady Stark only to condemn her._ Jaime opened his mouth to continue, but Catelyn spoke first.

"Why would you kill one of your allies to save one of your enemies?" Jaime was taken aback by the odd question. He did not view Catelyn as his enemy, she was a woman, no threat to him in battle and he despised men who raped. Nor did Jaime view the Boltons as his allies, they were _Tywin's _allies. If Jaime were an honest man, he would have spoken those words to Catelyn. Instead he smirked and leaned his shoulders forward as he spoke.

"Lady Stark, those men would have lost me the only way I can have my wife returned to me if they continued with their attack. The group of them would not have stopped, each shouting something horrible the others should do to you. I doubt that your son would trade Melara for your corpse."

"And killing one of them-."

"Was done to send the rest of the men a message. You are under my protection, and soon to be Roose Bolton's protection as well." Catelyn clenched her trembling fingers into fists to stop the shaking, her lips becoming a thin line. _I should have known it was only for his benefit._ For a single moment, when Jaime had offered his hand to her, Catelyn had felt as if he was more than a monster. He had saved her, killed her attacker, he _had_ to feel some sense of duty towards her. But his words only made Catelyn feel foolish. _Lannisters cannot be trusted, even when performing good deeds it is only for their own gain._ Catelyn walked towards the table, and Jaime, and poured a glass of water. Jaime stared at the water as it poured from the jug into the cup, knowing that what he needed to tell Catelyn was best told straight-out. He did not meet her eyes as he spoke. "Roose Bolton intends to make you his wife once we reach Winterfell." Jaime watched as the jug slipped from Catelyn's fingers, hearing the crash as it shattered against the table a second later. When he turned his eyes to finally meet hers, he saw a look of burning hatred within them. When she spoke, the same hatred was in her voice as well.

"I. Will. Not. Marry that…monster. It is bad enough you have me bringing this innocent girl to marry the man's bastard." Catelyn motioned with her hand towards the still form on the floor. "I will not dishonor my husband's name by being married to a traitor!" Jaime stood, sheathing his sword before stepping closer to Catelyn. His voice was hushed when he spoke, hoping that she would quiet her own in return.

"Lady Stark, I have no intention of standing by as you become 'Lady Bolton', but you have no choice but to accept this offer as well. Do you want a repeat of tonight to happen each night until you are on your way back to your son?" Catelyn turned away from Jaime, not willing to admit that his words were smart. "These men are savages but they still follow what Bolton tells them. If you are to be his wife he will want to be the one to do unspeakable things to you, not his men. He will give you the same protection that he has given the girl." Jaime took hold of Catelyn shoulder and turned her back to face him. "You are surrounded by enemies. You must do what needs to be done to survive. Melara could see that, and she was a naïve girl."

Catelyn had thought she figured out Jaime Lannister months ago. He was a heartless man, who slept with his twin and fathered three bastards by his sister. He was a man who would try to murder a child, crippling him in the process, just to keep that secret safe. He was an arrogant man, only looking out for himself. But now Jaime stood before her, after just saving her and murdering f_or her_ and speaking of Melara with a tone of affection in his voice.

She took a step back from him as he removed his hand from her shoulder. Catelyn thought of what Jaime said about Melara. _She was surrounded by enemies. She did what she had to survive. The only reason she is alive now is because the Kingslayer took her for his wife. _Catelyn only became more confused in regard to Jaime Lannister in that moment. The man who slew a King was traveling across Westeros to retrieve a girl that had been forcibly made his wife. _Or was he willing? Is it because of duty that he travels to the North? _

"Tywin Lannister wouldn't send his son to Winterfell just so you could reclaim Melara." It wasn't a question, but Jaime answered her nonetheless.

"No. Tywin Lannister would send his idiot nephew into Robb Stark's camp with a message for Melara to return to King's Landing." Jaime gave a small shake of his head. "If only she would have agreed then I wouldn't have to go about rescuing women and deceiving-." He cut himself short but Catelyn caught the slip. She lowered her voice to a whisper as she spoke.

"Who are you deceiving?" He gave off a bitter laugh before sitting back down. He took hold of the glass Catelyn had abandoned on the table and took a drink of water before speaking.

"We are always deceiving someone, aren't we, Lady Stark?" Catelyn shifted her eyes towards the girl who they had been calling 'Arya'. When she looked back at Jaime, he wore a smirk on his lips. "You begin to forget who you are deceiving and who you are not over time. I just choose to deceive everyone to keep things clear."

"Were you deceiving Melara when you said you cared for her?" Jaime looked as if he was about to answer, but took another drink of water instead. He stood from his chair and gave a slight bow.

"Sleep well, Lady Stark." Jaime left Catelyn standing in her tent, making his way from the uncomfortable conversion quickly without looking as if he were running away. When he left the tent he saw that the man he had stabbed was still on the ground where he had last been, but Jaime doubted the man would be dead. Jaime returned to his own tent, thinking of the conversation he just had with Catelyn. He had only intended to warn her about Roose's plans, but instead Catelyn had questioned him. As he entered his tent, he knew that sleep would not come to him, once again, that night, his thoughts too consumed with his sweet wife and their unborn babe.

Once Jaime had gone out of her sight, Catelyn sat in the chair that Jaime had just occupied and drank from the cup he had not finished. Her thoughts were coming quickly, trying to think of a way to escape without being hunted down and killed. An image of Jaime Lannister aiding in her escape playing in her mind, and she nearly laughed at the thought. _He will only protect me and help me as long as I am of use to him. Once he makes the trade to Robb for Melara in Winterfell, he won't spare me another thought. _The thought of arriving in Winterfell brought another dire thought with it, the news that Jaime had shared with her just moments ago. _Roose intends to make me his wife? Why? How does the Kingslayer plan to send me to Robb? Roose would never let me leave if I marry him in Winterfell._

Catelyn slammed the cup down a bit harder than she intended when a thought sparked inside her mind. _Why must the Kingslayer take me to Winterfell to trade me for Melara?_ Catelyn felt as if the Gods themselves had given her the thought, the answer to her escape. The hope that Catelyn had lost when the Twins were overtaken flared within her. _Will the Kingslayer listen if I tell him this plan?_ Catelyn knew that sleep would not come to her that night, her thoughts would be too consumed with plans of escape and the enemy who she hoped would become her ally.

_Even if it only is for a moment._

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For here on, when I mention "Arya" while we are around Jaime/Catelyn/Boltons, you can assume I mean the fake Arya.

True story here…I am really rusty with writing! I apologize if that was not up to my usual. Next chapter…Father/Daughter drama once again, with a little Gendry thrown in…hmmm… I wonder if the ever perceptive Melissandre will notice a resemblance between Gendry and the Baratheons… And of course more Catelyn/Jaime character development. Are you enjoying that aspect? I would love to hear what you like about this plot, what is bugging you, and what you want to see. I am writing for you, lovely readers. Until next time…


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Another chapter? Of course! This is dedicated to blondie1010 and xXRoweenaJAugustineXx.

To the guest reviewer for last chapter: What 'lore' are you referring to? I was a bit confused there. Also, I hope that this chapter will clear up some of the "believability" factors that may have been bothering you.

I only edited this once, so forgive me for any errors. I may go back and edit it later, like when it is not 3am.

Enjoy!

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"The remainder of my hundred men will arrive within the next days." Robb pointed to a spot on the map that lie on the table before him. "The raven arrived yesterday that Roose Bolton made his camp here. The scout reported he has less than one hundred men with him." Robb pulled his eyes up to look across the table at Stannis to see the man's reaction.

It had been a week since they arrived at the Castle Black, a week since Stannis had informed Robb of Jaime Lannister's offer. Robb was surprised when Stannis was willing to assist Robb in the rescue of Catelyn and Winterfell. The older king had even been the one to suggest the cunning plan. Robb had called Stannis and Jon Snow to his room to go over the aspects of this plan once again. Robb Stark was not about to take any chances.

"Even with a thousand men fighting for him, Roose Bolton is no match for the Lord of Light." It was Melisandre who spoke instead of Stannis. Robb did not call her into the private meeting, but neither Stannis nor Jon seemed to mind her presence. Robb ignored the Red Woman and continued on.

"Once my army has lifted the siege of Riverrun they will reclaim the Twins by outnumbering the remaining Boltons. I may not know the secrets of those towers but Jon and I can get my men into the walls of Winterfell and take back the North from whatever force the Boltons stationed there."

"Neither of you will do such a thing." Stannis sent a nod in Jon's direction. "Once your wildlings are inside, they can send out a report with Lady Stark. When we receive word about the remaining Bolton forces inside Winterfell, then the two of you will lead a siege." Stannis had spoken with Davos and taken the suggestion the smuggler had offered. It seemed to Stannis that using Melara to get spies inside the impenetrable walls of Winterfell was a gift. Melisandre had given the suggestion to use the wildlings, knowing that any men of the Night's Watch had the potential to be recognized. Stannis had spent many hours playing the images of the overthrowing of Winterfell in his mind. Melisandre had spoken of the visions in the flames telling her that once Winterfell was reclaimed, the North would follow. _And once the North had been reclaimed, I will overthrow the Lannisters and take what it rightfully mine._

"The Bolton's will fall and they will pay for their betrayal." Robb knew that Roose had a small amount of men under his command, and the North would easily be taken back. He had been foolish to think he could hold the Twins with such a small force, but the larger part of his army was required to lift the siege of Riverrun by Lannister forces. While his army fought that battle, Robb was able to plot to finally sever the thin hold the Bolton's had on the North. The Greyjoys had been removed as a threat and after he claimed his home once again, Robb would travel to King's Landing alongside Stannis Baratheon. The two Kings had yet to define their plans for ruling over Westeros. _First, we take back the North. Then before we move South , I will speak with Stannis about our arrangement._

"And what of Melara?" Jon had been the one to voice the question that had also been plaguing Robb's mind as well. Each time Stannis discussed the plan, he only spoke of Melara in regards to her riding to Winterfell with a group of wildings. Stannis would mention Jaime, and say that having him as prisoner would give them another advantage against the Lannisters.

"She cannot be trusted with this plan."

"But what of her when we throw Winterfell into siege? Are we to bring her back with us or treat her as a traitor as well?" Robb did not like the aspect of Stannis' plan where they used Melara without her knowing it was happening, but it truly was the best way to pass spies into Winterfell undetected.

"If she chooses to stay on the side of the Lannisters, consider her to be a traitor. I will not wait for that foolish girl to show her where her allegiance lies any longer." Stannis announced that they had discussed enough, and when the time drew closer to send his daughter out, they would discuss it once more. Jon and Robb remained pouring over the map on the table as Melisandre led Stannis from the room.

Stannis had been lost in his thoughts as he shut the door behind him, until he heard the warning growl ring through the hall. When he turned to where the noise had come from, he looked from the direwolf to his daughter and finally his gaze landed on a boy he had never met, but from the distance reminded him of his brother who had passed from this life.

_My brother continues to haunt me, as I see him in the face of this young boy before me._

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The days passed by with Melara following the same routine for just over a week. She kept to herself many hours of the day, her company mostly being Lady with Brienne occasionally taking a meal with Melara. _I would not doubt that she only dines with me to assure that I have not tried escape._ The Maid had refused to travel with Melara to Winterfell, to Jaime. Brienne had given Melara many reasons that the girl needed to remain at Castle Black, most of them concerning the treacherous nature of another journey while Melara was with child. Melara knew that if she were to leave for Winterfell, it would now be with only Lady as her guard. _I thank the Gods for Uncle allowing Lady to live._ Melara gave the faithful direwolf an affectionate pat just as a knock sounded on the door. Lady stood at attention, sniffing the air for any signs of danger or strange scents.

"It is just Brienne." Melara made her way across the room and opened the door to find a pair of blue eyes staring at her, but they did not belong to Brienne.

"M'lady." Gendry gave the girl a small bow, offering Melara the first kind smile she had received in days. She opened the door a bit wider but Gendry did not accept the silent offer of entrance into Melara's room. "A walk, m'Lady?" Melara nodded before turning and putting a thick cloak of furs around her shoulders. Lady padded quietly behind her, following Melara out into the hall. The direwolf took her position at Melara's side, Gendry taking up post on the other. "Brienne said you are planning to leave. To return to Winterfell." The stubborn pair walked in silence through the halls for a moment, Gendry waiting for a confirmation of what Brienne had said and Melara refusing to offer him one. Melara was surprised when it was Gendry who broke the silence by speaking first. "It's foolish to try."

"Of course it is foolish. I know that. Everything I have done and will do is foolish." Her voice held no anger, but was instead laced with sadness. Melara could feel the heat rise to her cheeks in embarrassment at her own words and actions. _Why do I continue to foolishly bring shame to myself? How could I ask Brienne to aide my in fleeing from Castle Black?_ Gendry continued walking with no destination coming to mind, but slowed his pace when Melara slowed hers. "Have you been around the men in this castle often?" She turned her head to see Gendry nod in response. She continued to study his face as she asked her next question. "And what do the men say of me?" Gendry shrugged his shoulders before he spoke.

"Dunno. Don't hear your name much. Only when Brienne spoke it."

"And my father? What have the men said of him?" Melara had been reluctant to seek out her father after the way they last parted. She understood the fool she made of herself in front of Robb and Jon when she spoke to Stannis as she did. _I was raised to be a lady. I need to show Father I am not traitorous. And I need to show him the respect he deserves from me._ Melara knew that whatever small amount of affection Stannis may have held for her was surely gone after their disagreement the day her party had arrived.

"The men here don't trust that Red Woman your father has with him. But they don't say too much more about him than that." Gendry was being honest with Melara, the men had yet to trust Gendry and did not speak too frequently in front of him of anything. He saw Melara nod her head, but the look on her face showed she was not satisfied with the answer he had given. "I'm not lying."

"Oh. I know you are not lying. I just hoped…" Melara was not entirely sure what she had hoped to hear from Gendry and allowed her voice to trail off. _Did I hope to hear that the men spoke ill of my father? Did I hope they spoke ill of me?_ She pulled the fur tighter around her body as they rounded another corner, Lady halting and raising her hackles while letting out a soft warning growl. Melara took her gaze off of Gendry to see what had caused the change in Lady. Looking further down the hall, she saw the reason walking towards her.

Melisandre stood in the center of the hall, no more than twenty feet away, while Stannis busied himself with closing the door behind him. Melara put her hand on Lady's back, hoping the touch would soothe the direwolf, just as Stannis turned to face them. Melara watched as Stannis' eyes traveled from her, to Lady to Gendry, an odd look crossing his features as he looked at the boy beside her. She saw that Melisandre wore the same expression as her gaze was also trained on Gendry. Melara walked forward, Lady still at her side, and once she stood before Stannis gave as graceful of a curtsey her swollen belly would allow.

"Father." She straightened her body and gave a small nod to the Red Woman. "My Lady." Melara's voice seemed to bring Stannis' attention back to his daughter, but Melisandre's studying gaze remained trained on Gendry. Melara brought a pleasant smile to her lips, hoping that she would seem less of a threat and more of a daughter to the man before her. "You both fair well this morning, I hope."

"The Lord of Light is about to bless my King with a victory, once again." Melissandre finally turned her eyes to Melara, and the girl wished that the woman had not. The intensity of the Red Woman's eyes seem to pierce through her, as if the woman could see all the secrets and thoughts Melara kept hidden.

"Congratulations, Father. May all your victories be swift." Melara did not let the confusion she felt in regards to the 'Lord of Light' show, and she tried to speak words that would prove to Stannis that she was not a traitor. _Not intentionally. I never meant to betray anyone._ Melara watched her father to see if he would display any change of emotion, but the man did not even offer her an acknowledging nod. He began to turn away, his eyes falling on Gendry for a moment more, when Melara's voice halted his movements. "Father, might I speak with you a moment?" Melara cast her eyes to the woman standing beside Stannis. "Alone. If it please you." Stannis looked at her over his shoulder, giving her the smallest of nods in agreement. He fully turned to leave and Melissandre did not follow him. Melara turned and gave Gendry a quick farewell with the promise of seeing him late in that day. Gendry turned on his heel and walked away in the direction he came once Melara followed after Stannis, the boy not wanting to be left with the Red Woman giving him strange glances.

Melara moved quickly down the hall behind Stannis, not risking the threat of becoming lost. Lady continued to pad down the hall beside Melara, the direwolf's hackles settling once out of the presence of Melissandre. _How strange. I cannot recall Lady acting aggressive with anyone before._ Stannis led her to the same room that she had met him in the last time, only there was be no one else besides them who would be inside this time. Stannis walked with purpose into the room, sitting down in the same seat he had been in before, and motioned Melara to sit across from him. After she was seated with Lady laying under the table at her feet, Melara waited patiently, as Catelyn had taught her, for Stannis to speak first. She did not have to wait long.

"Who is the boy." Although it was a question, Stannis said it in a way that turned it into a statement. Melara did not need to ask who Stannis was referring to, but silently wondered why her father would begin with that question.

"Gendry? He is just a bastard boy. From King's Landing, actually." Melara had said it with a tone to her voice that she hoped would show that Gendry was no threat. _If Father believes me a traitor, what will he think of Gendry for being seen with me?_ Melara caught the sight of Stannis' fists clenching after she had given her answer, not fully understanding why he would be reacting in such a way to her words.

"Just a bastard boy." Melara nodded her head, even as she knew that Stannis was not speaking to her directly but instead he was musing aloud. Stannis had recognized the similarities that the bastard boy shared with the man's deceased brothers. He also saw the resemblance between his own daughter and the boy. _Robert did father many bastards. Could the boy be one of them?_ Stannis focused his attention back to Melara, pushing the paranoid thoughts in regards to Gendry aside for the moment. "You seem to be more civilized than the last I saw you." Melara did not react in anger to her father's words, knowing that they had been said out of truth rather than to insult.

"Forgive me, Father. Lady Stark had informed me that 'being with child did not sit well with me'. I tend to speak and act as I normally would not." Melara had innocently spoken of her pregnancy as a reason for her behavior, but she regretted the words once they left her lips. _Gods be good. Why would I mention the child?_ Melara felt like a little girl under the intense gaze of Stannis, but did not squirm in her seat nor did she show what she felt upon her face.

"Lady Stark knows you better than I. I assume she was correct in her words." Melara had not realized she was holding her breath until Stannis spoke and she let out a sigh of relief. He continued to speak, unhindered by her loud exhale. "At least you seem to have learned some form of manners from Lady Catelyn. A shame you did not learn Lord Eddard's sense of duty and honor." Melara took another deep breath before she responded, calming the anger that seemed to be boiling inside her veins.

"I learned many things from Lord Stark. He acted as a father-." Melara snapped her mouth shut, hating herself for continuing to say the wrong things to Stannis. She had wanted to imply that she had learned from Ned a sense of honor, but it doing so she unintentionally insulted her father. _How am I to earn his trust, show him I am not a traitor, if I claim another man to have acted as my father?_

"Robert treasured Ned Stark as a brother, why should my daughter not treasure the same man as a father?" The spite laced in Stannis' voice startled Melara. She had never heard any emotion in his voice, besides a slight bit of rage, and did not understand how her words could bring this out in her father. Stannis surprised Melara when he continued to speak. "_I_ was his brother. Not _Ned Stark_." Melara thought back to what Jaime had said about her father. He had told Melara that she did not truly kno_w _Stannis, and listening to her father speak she couldn't help but agree with her husband. _One moment he condemns me for not following Lord Stark's way of honor, and then Father says the name with almost a sense of hatred within the same breath. _ Melara watched as Stannis took in a breath before unclenching his fists and laying his palms on the table. When he spoke again, his voice had returned to a neutral tone. "Say what you must say quickly. I have important matters to attend to with Robb Stark."

"Did you deliver that message Jaime required I deliver to Robb?" It had not been the reason she wanted to speak with her father, but at the mention of Robb, Melara couldn't help but let her curiosity take over.

"Yes."

"Do you intend to return me to Jaime?"

"Yes." Melara had not been expecting to hear that word come from her father's lips. Her eyes widened and her lips parted in her surprise. "When the time is right, you will go. Until then…" Stannis' voice trailed off as he searched for the right words to say. He knew that the plan he had devised with Robb Stark and the wilding would bring about the final turning point in the War that he needed, and the only person would could ruin those plans was the pregnant girl before him. Stannis stood as he addressed Melara once again. "Keep to yourself and behave in a way that would make me proud. Behave like a Baratheon." Melara stood as well, refusing to allow Stannis to speak down to her, and met his gaze.

She gave him a polite farewell and strode from the room as if she had been the one to end the conversation. The meeting she had requested with her father had been meant to discuss other matters, such as her status while she was at Castle Black, but instead they had spoken of Jaime. Melara could not help the bounce in her step as she walked the way back to her room. _He is sending me back to Jaime. _The realization continued to play in her mind and it was not until later that evening when she met with Gendry and told him of the news that she questioned her father's motives. _What does he have to gain by sending me away? _Melara would soon discover her father's motives, and what it meant for the future of all Westeros.

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I am not sure if I have mentioned this, but I have not read any of the books that Game of Thrones is based off of. I apologize if the events are not strictly canon, but I only have a vague idea of the events that happen. So, if you recognize some events in this story but they have been modified it is because I am bending them to my will to fit into my story. I believe one of those events is referred to in the beginning of this chapter.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

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When the remainder of Robb Stark's men had arrived at Castle Black no more than a week after she had spoken with her father, Melara had assumed that would be the time she was to leave. She waited in her meager room, thick furs around her shoulders and her small amount of belongings packed, for Stannis or Jon or even Robb to come fetch her. The impending journey was both a source of excitement and a source of guilt for the young woman. She let the smile drain from her features as the minutes turned to hours and she was only left alone with her thoughts and the kicks against her stomach.

Her belly continued to grow, starling Melara at the size she was becoming. She tried to recall the times when Catelyn or other women in Winterfell had been as far along as she was. _Seven months have passed? Or it is only six?_ Melara sat on her bed with the letter she had received from Jaime in her hand. The parchment showed the signs of how many times it had been read in the short amount of time Melara had it in her possession. Reading the words once more brought about the same excitement and guilt she was becoming used to feeling.

She had been keeping to herself, just as Stannis had requested, and was left with swirling questions in her mind. Why was Stannis sending her back to Jaime? Did he think of her as _that _much of a traitor? If so, why would he send her away instead of keeping her as a prisoner? Melara shook her head to clear her thoughts, focusing on the look on Jaime's face when she arrived in Winterfell, fat with his child. The young woman was becoming more conflicted the longer she thought on her emotions. The excitement she felt was to be expected, but then she would remember the way she had parted with her husband and the excitement would wane. The guilt began when the thought that Melara was _acting_ like a traitor to her blood family and the family that raised her would cross her mind.

"Only a traitor to their family would feel excitement about being sent away to the enemy." At the softly spoken words, Lady turned her attention to the young woman seated on the bed. The direwolf had been Melara's only constant companion, and had taken to speaking aloud to the beast. Lady understood that now was one of those times and moved to place her head on Melara's lap, mindful of the girl's pregnant belly. "Am I to fault for wanting to see him again? With him, I will have an ally while here I have none who would protect me." Lady gave off an odd whining sound, as if offended by Melara's words. The girl began to stroke the direwolf's fur in return as she continued. "Oh, Lady, of course I know you are an ally and will do what you can to protect me." She gave off a bitter laugh. "I suppose I am just very good at saying the wrong things and doing the wrong things…even if those wrong things are for the right reason."

As if the child inside her agreed, Melara felt a sharp kick that nearly took her breath away. _With the amount of strength that this child shows, it must be a son I carry._ Melara laid a hand over her stomach as the babe continued to squirm about. It would only be a matter of weeks and Melara would no longer carry her child inside her, but would carry her child in her arms. _And Jaime will as well. _When the direwolf seemed to jump to attention and began to growl at the door, Melara jumped to her feet and grabbed the dagger she kept on her person, unsheathing and pointing it at the door. Both Lady and Melara dropped their aggressive stances when the door burst open and she saw it was Gendry who came in without invitation. He slammed the heavy door behind him before securing the lock, resting his hands on the solid wood and catching his breath.

"Gendry? What has happened? Are you—"

"Are you mad?" When Gendry turned to face her, Melara was confused at the look of something akin to fear and worry on the boy's face. He gestured to the door at his back with one of his hands. "Leaving your door unlocked?" His breathing had nearly returned to normal, but the look had yet to leave his face. Melara ignored the jab at her sanity and instead questioned him about his arrival.

"What has happened to put you in this state?"

"I was working the forge when I heard it. I didn't believe it at first." Melara's confusion and impatience showed clearly on her face, urging Gendry to start from the beginning. "One of the men overheard that Red Woman saying something about needing a 'child of royal blood' to sacrifice. He said your father " Melara's face paled when his words set into her mind, her hands covering her unborn babe without thought. Gendry saw Melara's reaction and took a step towards her, offering a hand on her shoulder for comfort as he continued. "You were right to try and leave before. Your father never said _when_ he was sending you away, did he?" Melara numbly shook her head in the negative and Gendry pushed on. "What's to keep him from waiting 'til the child is born, then sending you away?"

Melara felt like a fool for believing for just a moment that her father _did_ hold a bit of affection for her, for believing that he was doing her a kindness by sending her to be with Jaime. The tears that threatened to fall burned at her eyes, but she blinked them away. Now was not the time for tears, it was the time to take her father's advice. _He said to act 'like a Baratheon'. Both my uncles and my father would not sit by, they would surge ahead. _Gendry was surprised to see the change in Melara, preparing himself for tears instead of the hardened look she now wore in her eyes.

With Jaime's child moving within her, and his letter held firmly in her hand, Melara's mind began to form a plan. She knew that her options were few, as was the time she had to act, but she would not sit idly by wallowing in her guilt and self-doubt while her child's life was threatened once more. The once naïve girl was becoming replaced with a young woman who's eyes had been opened to the world around her. Melara stared into Gendry's eyes, so like her own, looking for any sign of deceit, wanted to see the truth shining in his blues eyes as she questioned him.

"Are you certain of this? How can you be sure that mine is the child 'of royal blood'? I am no princess and Jaime has only been as high as the Kingsguard." Gendry gave her a shrug, Melara's calm demeanor calming the young man enough to relax to his old habits.

"The Red Woman considers your father to be _her_ King. That seems enough for men to agree that it's your babe she spoke of." Melara moved away from Gendry to pace the room slowly, her fingers trailing across the cold stone wall as she spoke.

"How can I be sure of this without letting my father know that _I_ know?"

"Arya would go up and straight ask Stannis to his face." Melara's eyes shifted from the ground to Gendry at the youngest Stark girl's name on his lips. She gave him a small smile, the image of Arya standing defiantly before Stannis with nothing but a dagger lightening the young woman's mood.

"Yes, she would. But I will not. Then Father would know that I know his plan. If that is his plan." She heard Gendry mumble something about 'confusing highborns' but did not acknowledge it. Melara thought of her options once more, knowing that trying to escape into the cold and riding to Winterfell on her own was foolish but seeing it as safer than remaining at the Wall. _But if I arrive in Winterfell not because of Father or Robb, will Catelyn still be send here?_ Melara let out a sigh of frustration, wondering to herself when things had become more complicated. _The moment I left Winterfell and walked into Jaime's arms, I suppose. _Thinking of Robb seemed to spark something in her mind, causing Melara to halt in her steps. She turned to Gendry, seeing that the boy was watching her movements, and returned back to his side. "Gendry, thank you. You are a truer man than most." He seemed a bit uncomfortable by her praise, but Gendry remained by her side. "I need you to give me just one more favor, and I swear you can be rid of me them."

"No, just like Arya I don't think I can ever be rid of you." It was Melara's turn to feel uncomfortable. He must have noticed, and quickly spoke to clarify his words. "Just meant that I won't forget you two, is all. Not having known many people for longer than a few weeks, I mean." Melara set her hand on his shoulder, in an imitation of his early gesture of comfort.

"You really think I would leave you here? Gendry, there is a reason the Gods brought us together. Who am I to defy them?" Melara understood what Gendry was trying to say. She had thought the same things many times when she was younger. It was the plea of one who grew up without their blood family, without the kindness of a mother or the teaching of a father. It was a plea of someone who just wanted to find a place where they belonged. "Well, then do me this favor and I shall find another for you to do so that you will never be rid of me." His lips turned up into a partial smile and gave her a shrug of his shoulders, which had become endearing to Melara. "Tell Robb that I would like to speak to him. Do not say anything about what you have heard. Tell him I was questioning when we will be leaving. That seems honest enough." After a nod of understanding, and a reminder to keep her door locked, Gendry left Melara's rooms with the intention of speaking with Robb.

After Melara locked the door behind him, she resumed her pacing around the room. She was finding that the longer she stayed in one place the more her body ached when she did try to move. As her mind started to turn once more, Melara couldn't help but think that maybe she had more allies than she thought…if only she looked hard enough.

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Jaime hadn't had a good long laugh in a while, and almost forgot what it felt like. As he sat across from Catleyn, after having just heard her plan, he couldn't help but laugh. He knew that the men outside the tent could hear him, but he could not control himself. He took a sip from his glass of wine to try and regain his composure. The stiff posture and disdain in Catelyn's eyes did nothing to help the humor of the situation. Once he had set his cup down, wiping any traces of wine from his lips with the back of his hand, he leaned forward so that the Lady seated at the table with him could hear his whispered voice.

"Did you truly believe that would work, Lady Stark?" The tightening of her lips was the only answer she gave. It had been nearly a week since the last time she had Jaime Lannister in her tent, and in that week Catelyn had devised the way to tell Jaime of her plans. She had spoken her thoughts with no interruption from him, telling him that they could escape in the night and ride to the Wall. That Robb would allow Melara to leave with Jaime and they would have no problems from any of the Northern men because he had returned Catelyn. For a moment, Catelyn thought he was considering it, but then he had just burst out with laughter and her plans for escape seemed to slip through her fingers. And seeing as her fingers were clenched together tightly balled into a fist that was a feat in itself. Her voice was no more than a harsh whisper when she responded.

"And why do you believe it would not? You would not set foot near the Wall, just get close enough to receive Melara once I have been returned to my son." Jaime let out another little chuckle at this, but Catelyn refused to waver and pushed on. "What is to say that Melara could even make the journey from the Wall to Winterfell? It has been nearly six months since we discovered she was with child." Jaime sobered a bit, knowing that Catelyn was the more experience in the ways of pregnancy and childbirth. Catelyn saw the subtle change in him, the slight softening of his eyes but tightening of his posture, at the mention of Melara. She knew that was her biggest bargaining chip at the moment. "Would you have her meet you at Winterfell, surrounded by the unpredictable Bolton men, to birth her child?"

"She will give birth to _our_ child in the North, why not Winterfell? You saw to that when you send her to the Wall."

"You saw to that when you took her as your wife."

"I did not take her. She came willingly." Catelyn was surprised to hear the forceful tone Jaime used, but her pride would not allow her to back down. Her voice became louder than a whisper, and she pulled herself as tall as she could while remaining seated.

"And my son, Bran. You did not push him. He must have jumped willingly." Jaime stood too quickly for Catelyn, years of fighting and training giving him the speed he now used, but did not make a move towards her. He took a deep, calming breath in through his nose before responding, noting the movement of the false Arya on the other side of the tent. He saw the way she scurried away from him, just as a mouse scurries from a cat. _Or as Melara would flee from men._ Jaime turned his attention back to Catelyn, his posture no more relaxed than hers.

"I've cut down many sons and husbands and fathers." Jaime leaned in towards her, his voice lowering but never wavering. "I stood by while the Mad King spread his sickness through Westeros. I fucked my sister." Jaime set his hands on the table, bringing his head nearly level with Catelyns. "I have done many things, Lady Stark, that are far worse than crippling your son." Catelyn continued to stare at him in silence, not understanding why he was saying these things to her. She knew firsthand that he was not an honorable man. "But I would never force a woman." Jaime pulled away from Catelyn slowly, the silence stretching between them as he once again sat across from her. He brought the cup to his lips taking in a much needed drink of wine. Before he could speak again, Catelyn seemed to have found her voice and spoke first.

"What difference is there between a helpless woman and a helpless child that you would attack one and not the other?" Jaime tipped his head back and drained the remainder of the wine in his cup before setting it back on the table before him. He gave a shake of his head, and for a moment Catelyn thought he would not answer, but as he looked down inside his empty glass Jaime could not stop himself as he spoke.

"What would be the point in forcing a woman? It would not bring me any gain." He looked up at Catelyn but she gave no outward reaction to his words. He gave a dark chuckle before continuing on. "You were with the _honorable_ Ned Stark for too long. You are blind to the honor that other men hold." Jaime was not sure if it was the wine or the defiant way that Catelyn looked at him, but in that moment he wanted her to understand. He wanted to see the look of understanding that Melara would give him when he would speak of his past, when she had spoken of her forgiveness. _That sweet girl spoiled me with her kindness._ Jaime toyed with his empty cup, but his eyes never left Catelyn's face as he spoke. "I made a vow to a girl that was near death that I would never take a woman against her will, nor would I allow a woman to be forced if I could stop it."

"Why?"

If Jaime had to choose a word he hated most, it would be 'why'. It was the one word that could stop him, could make him think. When he was asked his reasons, he hated it. It kept his enemies on edge for them to not know why he would do something. They would never know his motivations, his reasons, and that gave Jaime the edge in battle against other men. Jaime stood from the table, and Catelyn stood as well.

"That is one of life's great mysteries, I suppose. Forgive me, Lady Stark, but I believe our lovely evening together must come to an end." Jaime gave a nod of his head to Catelyn and moved to leave, but she blocked his path with her body.

"You say that you would not allow a woman to be forced if you could stop it, yet you would allow the two women in this tent to be forced once we arrive at Winterfell?" Catelyn's words hit him hard as his eyes opened to the truth she spoke, and Jaime did not push her from his path. He brought left his hand to run through his hair, the first sign Catelyn had received that her words had affected him. Catelyn spoke quickly, worried that the small crack in Jaime's resolve would seal if she did not. "Take me and the girl away from this camp. There are other places we can go besides the Wall. Take me to the Eerie, to my sister. You can send a raven to Robb and he will send Melara there instead of Winterfell."

"That is something I cannot do. The only way I have any leverage is staying with the Boltons. Taking you to your sister only ensures another capture for me, and I am a much better free man than I am a prisoner." Jaime made his way around Catelyn and he was surprised that she remained silent until his body was already halfway out into the darkness of night.

"Melara will not forgive you for condemning me to this fate." Jaime turned his head to respond over his shoulder, but did not turn around to face Catelyn.

"Even if she ever does, know that I will not forgive myself, Lady Stark." Catelyn stared after him, not sure what to make of his parting words. She knew that she had nearly convinced him to go along with her plans, but something had held him back. Catelyn looked back to the trembling girl that was to act as her daughter, seeing that the girl had heard every word that had been exchanged. _That would be Arya had Jaime Lannister not stopped her. _As the minutes passed Catelyn had yet to move from where she stood, too consumed with her thoughts of Jaime Lannister and how to convince him to save her. _The Gods have been cruel to me, forcing me to rely on the enemy for salvation. _The more she thought of it, the more she realized that Jaime Lannister had not acted as her enemy since he had burst into her room at the Twins. _He may not act like my enemy, but he is still no man to be trusted._ Catelyn finally made her way into bed that night, her mind racing once more on a way to escape her fate at the hands of Roose Bolton.

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Spoiler alert: Next chapter _someone_ will arrive in Winterfell. Who will it be?


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Another update? Sure!

I want to thank everyone for sticking with this story. I jump around with time here a little bit, because I really don't think I could write chapter where we are just traveling along anymore. I am sick of traveling. We are coming up on the turning point in the story, and the start of if happens at the end of this chapter. Remember, I love reviews more than cheesecake. And I really really love cheesecake.

Enjoy!

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It had been only three days since Melara had requested Gendry deliver a message her message to Robb, but the time had gone so slowly it seemed closer to weeks when Robb finally sat for a meal with her. She had asked him to meet her in the privacy of her room, and when he agreed Melara had arranged for a small meal to be brought to her. Although she had eaten less than a few hours before, Melara eyed the food as if she had been without for years. She had noticed the increase in her hunger, being nearly insatiable at times, but the fear that she would remain large after her child was born kept her from over indulging.

"They have missed each other." Robb's voice brought her attention from the food before her to his face before looking in the direct he had nodded. Lady and Grey Wind had curled around each other near the fireplace, satisfied with the safety of their human charges. Melara brought her eyes back to the man who sat with her, noticing the changes in him. His beard had become longer, as had his auburn hair, and his eyes had become even more weary than before. _It seems that I am not the only one going without sleep at night. Although it is a war that keeps Robb awake, not an unborn babe. _ Melara felt the movements within her, as they had been more often than not for the last weeks, and slowly rubbed her belly as she spoke.

"They are of the same pack. They belong together just as—" Melara cut herself short and looked away, not willing to meet Robb's eyes. She had perfected the art of saying the exact wrong thing, lately. It seemed that as each day passed and the child grew within her, that her mind seemed less under her control.

"Just as a family should be?" She did not respond, choosing to take a bite of the tempting bread on her plate instead, but did offer Robb a nod of acknowledgement. As he continued his voice was neither hard nor angry, but instead his voice held a bit of sadness. "I've thought that many times. The first time was when Father left for King's Landing with Sansa and Arya." He gave a short pause, causing Melara to bring her gaze back to his handsome face. "And you." She opened her mouth to speak but he gave a sad laugh and continued. "It all seems to trivial now, doesn't it?"

"What?"

"All those years my heart ached for you. All the times Mother would treat Jon as if he were nothing. The fights between Arya and Sansa." Robb turned to look into the fire, as if he would see images of the past. The way the flames danced across his eyes brought Melara's attention to the reason she had asked to speak with him. She did not speak yet, choosing to listen to what Robb had to say. "How could we all have been so stupid, so naïve."

"We were children, Robb. To us, those times did seem like war."

"And now that we find ourselves in one…"

"All of the other things seem trivial?" Melara gave him a small smile when Robb brought his gaze back towards her. "You already mentioned that, Robb." She gave off a small noise of surprise as the babe gave her a particularly strong kick. She felt a blush stain her cheeks from embarrassment. "Sorry. The movements have been getting very strong. I still find myself surprised when I feel them." He nodded his head in understanding but did not seem comfortable speaking of the child. Melara was not hindered by the discomfort Robb showed, and pushed on to tell him what she had heard from Gendry. Robb stayed silent, listening intently when she began to speak of her theory that Stannis meant to kill her child the moment it was born. He could not hide his disgust very well when Melara spoke of Melissandre needing to sacrifice a child.

"Melara, I do not trust that woman but Stannis has no intentions of slaying or sacrificing your child. He plans to do just what he said and send you to the Kingslayer. A fair trade for Mother, he says." Melara would have felt a bit of pride at being a worthy trade for Catelyn, but knew that coming from Stannis that it was not meant to compliment.

"Why is my father sending me to Winterfell? There must be more than just a simple exchange of prisoners." Robb's face betrayed none of his thoughts on the matter but many nights he had been kept awake plagued with guilt and worry for the trap they had planned. But once he thought of the pain that the Lannisters and Boltons had caused, the guilt seemed to melt away. Robb would not inform Melara that she was acting as bait and would be the reason that Winterfell would be reclaimed by the Northmen. He could imagine the look in her eyes once Jaime had been taken prisoner again and the Boltons fell. _Stannis said that she would understand the pain her treacherous ways brought upon her true allies. I may not love her as I once did, but I do not wish to bring her pain. _Robb saw the small piece of innocence in Melara's eyes that he knew she would always carry. He stood from his chair and moved to stand by the fire, his palms resting on the stone wall and facing away from Melara.

"He wishes to be rid of you." At his quiet admission, Melara felt the pain of rejection in her chest and the burn of tears in her eyes. Robb was not entirely lying to Melara, having heard Stannis say those exact words in one of their meetings, but he was not being honest with her. Robb closed his eyes from just a moment, but when he did his mind could only show him the image of his father with disappointment clearly written on his face. Melara's shaky voice touched Robb's ears but he merely opened his eyes and did not turn to face her.

"When am I to go? Each day I wake with that fear that Melissandre will be burning down my door with her flames and cutting my son out herself." Melara spoke the truth in those words, having the dreams many times where her child was cut from her while she pleaded and begged for him. But in her dreams the harder she would plead the farther away her son was taken from her. "If my own father 'wishes to be rid of me' I should not plague him with my presence any longer." Robb continued to face the fire as he spoke.

"You will depart within three days. The remainder of my men I brought from the Twins have arrived, and we will ride South within a week. Stannis and his army will ride with us."

"Am I to make this journey alone?" Melara watched as Robb shook his head before standing to his full height. He seemed to be staring at Grey Wind and Lady, still curled together and laying near his feet.

"No. Jon has gathered a group of wildings to accompany you. Six women and one man. The less that travel with you the faster you will arrive in Winterfell." Melara heard the slight change in Robb's voice when he spoke of his childhood home. She had heard a small bit about the men who now held the castle, the Boltons, and was fearful that the rumors were true. A small part of her, the part that still remained innocent, wished to believe that the rumors about both Winterfell's destruction and the Bolton's horrid customs were not true.

"If I am to travel I should like someone with me that I trust. Jon may trust wildlings, but what would happen if they decided I am not worry to travel with? Take my horse and leave me to die in the snow just beyond the walls of Castle Black?" Robb finally turned to face her, and found that at some point she had stood from her chair. "I should like Gendry and Brienne of Tarth to join me." Robb took in the sight of the girl he had once hoped to call his wife. Even as she stood before him fat with child by his enemy, Robb could not help but think she still looked beautiful. He gave her a nod of his head to show her that he agreed to her request. In response, Melara gave him a smile that seemed to light up the darkness around her. As they both sat back down at the table to finish their meal, Robb could only think that once he betrayed her Melara would never show him a smile like that again. ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

The following weeks of travel passed for Jaime the same as the beginning weeks had. Every few nights Catelyn had come to him with plans of escape, and each time Jaime continued to deny her. The further North they traveled, the more insistent Catelyn became. It wasn't until Jaime and Catelyn rode through the gates of Winterfell together that her hushed voice held a slight quiver of fear.

"I may have mothered children of Winterfell, but even I would not know the secrets of these walls to escape now." Catelyn kept her horse close to Jaime's, with the hopes that their whispered conversation would not be overheard. The girl who would be presented as Arya traveled on Catelyn's left, while Jaime was to her right. "You truly have condemned me to a fate worse than death, Kingslayer."

Jaime kept his features calm, staring straight ahead as he once again entered Winterfell. Thoughts of the last time he made this journey seemed to plague him, mixing with the troubling thoughts of what Catelyn's words brought to his mind. His resolve to continue with his plan to have Melara back in his arms lessened with each step his horse took towards the ruins of the once great castle. _If the Boltons could ruin this place, what will become of Lady Stark?_ Jaime fought to turn his gaze to her, knowing that her face would have become pleading. He remained facing forward as he spoke, his voice just as hushed as hers.

"Lady Stark, don't tell me you've lost hope in me? I have brought you this far with no harm befalling you. What a waste these last weeks would be for you to be harmed now."

"And when Roose Bolton takes me for his wife, how will you stop him from harming me? Will you stand guard at my bedside?" Despite the dour situation, Jaime could not stop the smirk that graced his features. _The Kingslayer defending Catelyn Stark. Ridiculous._ If he would have been told the last time he rode through these same gates that a year later he would be in the position he was in now, Jaime would have struck the man down and run to Cersei's arms. And her bed. Catelyn saw the look he wore and set her own features into a scowl as she continued to speak. "Am I amusing you, Lannister? I had not realized my impending rape was humorous."

Jaime did look at her then, any signs of his previously lightened mood had been erased. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words felt heavy on his tongue as he saw Catelyn showing him the first stirrings of fear he had seen from her since joining her company at the Twins. Jaime knew that Catelyn spoke the truth to him, that Melara would never forgive him for condemning Catelyn to this fate.

Jaime had long ago accepted that he had done many things and would do many more things that would warrant forgiveness from Melara. But the look on Catelyn's face seemed to change something in that moment. The longer Jaime looked to Catelyn, seeing the near plead on the face of the normally fierce and strong woman, the more he saw what he had become. _I have become my father. Using women for my benefit, manipulating those around me for my benefit. This is not what years of battle have taught me. This is what being a Lannister taught me._

Jaime felt a sickness in his stomach when the party finally stopped their horses and began to dismount. Catelyn had looked away from him and replaced the slight look of fear with her familiar brave façade once more. Catelyn made to dismount her horse, but Jaime's hand on her shoulder halted her moments. She felt the hesitation in his touch and saw it on his face. _Such a strange sight to see Jaime Lannister, the man who crippled Bran, showing a bit of remorse. Or as close as he could ever come to showing remorse._ Catelyn looked from the hand on her shoulder then back to his face, her eyebrows raised as a silent question.

"I will make things right." Catelyn gave a soft sigh and a shake of her head in response. Jaime removed his hand, taking her silence as a dismissal. He dismounted and moved around to help Catelyn dismount as well. Once Catelyn's feet hit the cold ground, she caught sight of the Bolton men coming to take her false daughter. She looked to Jaime, hoping that he would save the innocent girl from the pure torture she was surely about to face. He did not get the chance to stop them, and the girl was nearly dragged away from where the horses where gathered. It would only be a matter of time before her screams would haunt the frozen grounds, ringing out for all to hear just how despicable the Boltons were.

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When Melara departed from Castle Black three days after her meal with Robb there had been no large farewell. Stannis was nowhere to be seen, and Jon and Robb had only given Melara a few words. The men had mostly spent time speaking in hushed voices with the seven wildlings that would be Melara's guard. Brienne had been silent but took post next to Melara with a small sense of relief to be leaving the male-infested castle. Gendry had been the only one to speak with her as they followed the wildlings south, but even he drew silent as the heavy winds started to blow the snow all around them.

Melara had been glad that Sia was a shorter horse than most, finding that riding a horse while large with child was proving to be most difficult. By the end of the first week of travel, Melara was grateful for the cold numbing her body from the pain she felt. By the end of the second week, Melara was ready to give up and find the nearest village and wait to return to Winterfell until she had delivered her child. The pain in her legs and her back was becoming overwhelming, not even finding relief when they had made camp every few days. It wasn't until the third week of that the pains in her stomach began. The pain only seemed to increase with each day of travel.

"My Lady, breath and the pain will subside." Brienne saw the way that Melara had hunched over on her bay mare, a low moan escaping the young woman's lips and one arm wrapped around her stomach. The Maid had heard the same sounds before, but only from the mouths of dying men. "We will arrive in Winterfell within the week if we push on." Brienne guided her own horse to ride next to Sia, supporting Melara so that she would not slip from her mare's back. Gendry had ridden ahead, along with one of the spearwives to scout for trouble. The remaining wildling were staying more alert the further south they traveled, constantly searching out any dangers.

"What have I done to deserve this cruel punishment?" Melara spoke between sobs once the pain in her belly melted away. It seemed to the young woman that the pains were becoming more frequent and stronger each time. Brienne placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder as one of the spearwives spoke. Melara had asked the woman for advice once the pains started to take her breath away, but each time they would say the same thing.

"Only gets worse, m'Lady. You've got many weeks to go before that babe comes screaming into this world."

"Yes. I know. You have told me that hundreds of times." Melara took as deep a breath as her expanded belly would allow before facing the woman that had spoken. "Forgive me. I…I did not mean to…" The woman dismissed Melara's apology with a wave of her hand. The woman seemed to be focusing on the distance in the direction they were traveling. When Melara looked to the other wildings, they were acting in the same manner and looking at something Melara had yet to see. It wasn't until the outline of a rider in the distance came into view that Melara understood. The group moved off the road, taking to the nearby forest until the rider was close enough to be identified.

The wilding who had ridden off with Gendry, named Holly, had returned alone, but what had the tears coming from Melara's eyes was the sight of blood. Melara seemed to go numb as she listened to Holly telling the others that three bandits had ambushed them. Gendry and Holly had defeated them, but in the process Gendry was wounded. Melara did not wait to hear more and urged Sia down the road faster than they had yet to travel. The fast speed pained Melara more, but she did not notice. Her thoughts were only on seeing Gendry alive. She heard the pounding of hooves behind her and knew the others had caught up to her. Holly pushed passed them all and took the lead to where she had hidden Gendry and within the hour they had found him.

Melara feared the worst when she saw him on the ground covered in leaves, and dismounted to run to him. The movements seemed to bring about another round of pain in her stomach, and she all but collapsed by Gendry's body. He opened his eyes at the sound of her cries and gave a half smile, but closed his eyes once again a moment later. Melara saw the blood covering the snow around him and felt as if she would faint.

"Gendry! Where are you hurt?"

"It's his leg, m'Lady." Holly had walked up to her, the young girl's blonde hair falling over her face as she knelt by Gendry's injured leg. "I stitched him up, but he still lost quite a bit of blood."

"What happened?" It was the man who asked, and Melara vaguely heard Holly telling the others how one of the bandits had taken a slash at Gendry's leg with a dagger. The man had been aimer for higher but had slipped on the snow and the lunge became a dive as the dagger sliced through the boy's trousers and slid across the skin of his leg. Melara felt strong hands help her up from the ground and turned to see Brienne has also dismounted. The look on her face only made Melara's tears fall harder.

"He won't be able to ride at the pace we need to move. And he needs proper care." Melara nodded her head dumbly in agreement to Brienne's words. "My Lady, one of the wildlings will have to stay back with the boy and bring him to the nearest town. We must continue on if we are to save Lady Catelyn."

"No. I will not leave one of mine behind. I need them all with me. We never should have sent scouts ahead. That was your idea and look what it cost you." Another of the women, the oldest named Myrtle, spoke to Brienne without fear of the much larger woman. When the two began to argue and Brienne drew her sword, Melara had enough.

"Stop! Brienne, please. The longer you argue the more time you waste. If it must be you that stays behind, then so be it." Melara motioned with her hand at the wildings. "They had gotten me this far, surely they can escort me the remainder of the journey." Melara felt her strength leaving her and her legs nearly give out under her. The travel had been difficult and as far along as Melara's pregnancy was, it made the journey's difficulty triple. "I just want to continue on and arrive in Winterfell. I know that you are capable of helping Gendry, of sa-saving him." Melara tried to keep her voice from wavering as she spoke, but it was to no avail. "I-I would n-never for-give myself i-if he…" It seemed as if the stubborn Maid would not yield, but when she looked back to Gendry and gave a single nod that was all Melara needed.

After a tearful good-bye and a promise from Brienne to find her in Winterfell once Gendry could ride, Melara and the wildings were once again headed for Winterfell. Melara tried to find the excitement of seeing Jaime, but leaving Gendry in that state had made her feel nothing but sadness and guilt. She let out a sob as she thought of her selfishness for leaving Gendry and not staying by his side. _But he will not die. Who is to say what would happen to him if he were to arrive in Winterfell?_ Melara sent a prayer to the Old Gods and the New in hopes that one of them would have mercy upon Gendry and spare his life.

The next days passed with Melara in a deep sadness mixed with her stomach tightening in pain. When the walls of Winterfell could be seen in the distance, Melara heaved a sigh of relief before her breath was taken away by the strongest pain she had yet to feel. When it was only a few moments later that she felt it again, Melara did not hold back her moan of pain. She heard Myrtle tell her once again that it was too soon for her pains to be one after another, but Melara only cried out in pain.

The pain seemed to slow and Melara was able to handle a gait faster than a walk for a short amount of time. The young girl fought through the pain, spurred on by her hopes that Jaime had already arrived at Winterfell and he would be waiting to welcome her at the gates. Her breath was nearly taken away when the pain in her belly radiated to her lower back, the surprise change nearly unseating her from her mount. She slowed Sia to a halt, her frame shaking from the pain she felt. She could see the gates through her tears, but she had lost the will to continue to move. When she heard the mumbled words about the gate opening, Melara wiped the tears from her eyes to see a group of riders coming out to receive them. She struggled to dismount, but wanted nothing more than to walk to try and relieve that pain she felt.

Once she was on the snow covered ground, she could not see over the hill any longer. She heard the pounding of hooves and saw that one rider had taken the lead, leaving the other four men behind. The rider had a cloak of furs on to shield from the cold, and he was still too far for Melara to see if she knew the rider. The winds picked up and the snow obscured her view from seeing who was coming towards her just as she begin to double over in pain, her arms wrapping around her belly in the now familiar act meant to bring relief. When the sounds of hooves were close, she looked up just as the rider yelled her name. When Jaime was close enough, he jumped from his horse and landed feet from Melara. He was by her side in an instant, taking her in his arms with an arm under her knees and behind her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her entire body shaking with the amount of pain it was being put through.

"Bring her horse." Jaime gave the command with more force than he meant to, but in that moment, with Melara back in his arms, he didn't give a damn about anything else. He placed a kiss to her forehead before lifting her onto his own horse before he mounted behind her. He held her in his arms as he urged his horse back toward the gates of Winterfell. With each cry and moan of pain Melara let pass her lips, Jaime tightened his arms about her just a bit more.

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Yes. Melara is in labor. Yes. She is only around 8 months along. Yes. The next chapter will be intense.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Thank you sooooo much for the reviews and for reading!

Warning: This chapter contains some intense scenes.

Buckle up and grab your life jackets. This is a long one.

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Jaime had yet to release Melara from his arms as he made his way through the halls in silence. His young wife had become silent of her cries and closed her eyes as Jaime pulled her down from his horse and back into his embrace. Jaime hoped that she was merely sleeping, but the pale color of her skin and the way her body had become limp made him fearful that it was worse. He strode by his own room and walked down the hall until he stood before another door, one that was guarded by two Bolton men.

"Open the door." Jaime's voice had woken Melara just as pain ripped through her body, causing her to grab hold on her husband through the thick fur cloak he wore. The guards did not seem inclined to obey Jaime's harshly spoken command, but when Melara's moans grew louder the door was flung open from the inside. Catelyn took in the sight of Jaime holding Melara and beckoned him inside, the motherly instincts that had been dormant in regards to the young girl flaring to life once more.

"Gods be good! What has happened?" Catelyn closed the door and trailed behind Jaime as he set Melara on the only bed in the room. Jaime gently pried her grip away from his cloak but did not release her hands from his own as he knelt on the floor beside the bed. Catelyn moved to stand behind him, but Jaime did not seem to notice her movements. He only had eyes for Melara.

"I…hurt." Melara's voice had taken on an air of exhaustion, her tone barely more than a whisper. She opened her eyes to stare into Jaime's and a smile, however faint, graced her features. "Our child…my stomach…back…why?" Jaime brought their joined hands to his lips and placed a kiss to Melara's fingers, not trusting his voice at that moment. When her eyes had met with his it was as if the past months did not exist. She wore the same look in her eyes as when he had first made love to her. It was a bewildered look, laced with love, and it was nearly painful to continue to stare into her eyes but he did not dare look away. He felt that her being in Winterfell was surely a dream, and he would wake to find himself alone. Seeing the pain she was in made him wish it were just a dream.

"Melara, it is too soon for you to be in this state. The babe is not yet ready to be born." Melara shifted her eyes from Jaime to look above his head at Catelyn. She felt a great relief that Catelyn, the only woman she would ever think of as her mother, was there with her, to help her. Catelyn's words registered in Melara's foggy mind and a pout formed on the young woman's lips.

"Yes. I bloody well know that." Melara felt her body heat as the tingling that forewarned of pain began. She shifted her body, trying desperately to remove her heavy cloak. "Jaime, please. I am so warm." Jaime seemed to understand and nearly tore the cloak from around Melara's body in his haste to aide her. "Sit me up! Please!" Jaime continued to kneel beside the bed as he pulled Melara's body up. She wrapped her arms around Jaime's neck once more as she leaned her forehead against his. She let out a moan of pain, gritting her teeth and shaking once more. Jaime wrapped his arms around her the best he could and ran his hands along her back to soothe her. The motioned seemed to help, as she quieted quicker that any time before.

"Melara, how long have you been feeling this pain?"

"Days…weeks…" She unwound her hands from Jaime's hair, not remembering when her fingers had taken hold, and began to strip another layer of her clothes off. Jaime pulled away from her to aide her once again. When she had been traveling in the cold she had hardly noticed the way her body seemed to be consumed by heat, but once she was no longer feeling the harsh winds she wanted nothing more than to be rid of her clothes.

"Oh, Gods." Jaime turned his head to look back at Catelyn at her exclamation, the look on her face doing nothing to calm him.

"Tell me why my wife looks as if she is dying!"

"Her body is preparing to deliver the child. It is far too soon. The journey she traveled was far too harsh for her to take in her condition." Jaime was stunned by Catelyn's words, overtaken by the reality that Melara was truly there and that he would soon hold his child as well. He quickly shed his own heavy cloak, the heat from Melara's body causing Jaime's to become warm as well. "She needs a maester or a midwife. We've been here three days and I have yet to hear of one still in Winterfell." Jaime moved from the ground to sit beside Melara, cradling her body in his lap once more. Even as she was fat with child, she still was tiny compared to him. "I cannot leave this room, you must be the one to go. Go to Lord Bolton and tell him she is about to deliver the child and needs aide."

Melara shook in his arms once more, her jaw clenching as her stomach tightened against her will. Catelyn sat beside Melara on the opposite side as Jaime, her arms open and waiting to accept the girl. Jaime placed a kiss to Melara's sweaty forehead before shifting her body to be supported by Catelyn. He stood and made his way back towards the door, pausing just for a moment to look back at his wife. She truly did look near death, the sweat causing her hair to stick against her cheeks and the color draining from her face. Catelyn saw that he was frozen near the door and opened her mouth to urge him to go, but Jaime spoke first.

"Will she die?"

"I am no midwife but I delivered five of my own children into this world. Never did I become as she is now." Jaime felt the sting of tears at the thought of losing his wife and child, so soon after he had finally gotten her back at his side. "If she does not deliver the child soon, both of their lives could be lost." He said no more as he left the room, the guards' questions falling on deaf ears. Jaime walked through the halls trying to control the pain, the emptiness, he felt in his heart when the image of Melara came to his mind. Jaime had never felt as helpless as he did while walking the halls of Winterfell, even when he had been taken prisoner. Jaime entered into the room where he had last left Roose Bolton, just as the shouts could be heard that riders were approaching. Jaime had not hesitated to leave, not giving a damn how rude it may have been.

"Ser Jaime, has your wife arrived?" It was not Roose who spoke, but instead the Lord's bastard son, Ramsay. Jaime paid the boy no mind, never looking into the Bastard's pale eyes, and instead addressed Roose.

"Lord Bolton, it seems the journey was too harsh for my Lady Wife. Lady Stark has confirmed that my child is ready to be born." Roose made no movements and said to words to acknowledge what Jaime had said. The silence last for only a moment before Jaime spoke one more. "She is in need of a maester or midwife, as the babe may be killing her at this moment." Jaime was reminded of his own mother's death, remembering the way that Tyrion had been blamed. The feeling of dread that seemed to run in his veins was overwhelming. Catelyn's words rang in his ears, only making the feeling worse. _If I had not forced her to travel, she may not be in the state she is now._ He caught the slight movement from Ramsay, the boy leaning forward in his seat next to Roose, but Jaime remained focused on the elder Bolton.

"I was told Lady Melara arrived with six women and one man. If the man is no maester, and the women are no midwives, then why would they travel with her?" Jaime could not argue with the logic that Roose presented, and even felt a small relief knowing that Melara had arrived with someone to aide with the birth of their child. _They must have been sent with her by someone. The act of sending midwives and a maester with Melara is so thoughtful of an act for Stannis. Would Robb Stark have arranged it?_

"That babe is killing her, you say? Perhaps you should cut the child from her womb. I have seen the act performed." Jaime did finally look at Ramsay then, taking in the finely dressed younger man. Sitting next to Roose, it was plain to see that the only feature man and bastard shared were the cold, calculating eyes. Where Roose could have been described as merely plain, Ramsay could only be seen as ugly with his broad nose, his meaty lips and long, dry hair. Jaime could see the way Ramsay's hands twitched once her spoke again, as if the boy were trying to grasp a knife that was not there. "The poor mother just could not deliver the child into the world. She was held down and the knife slid across her smooth skin-"

"Enough." Jaime had heard enough of the sick Bastard's words and made his exit swift, barely overhearing Roose begin another lecture to Ramsay about the boys…amusements. Jaime walked just as swiftly back in the direction towards his laboring wife, feeling the fool for thinking the Roose Bolton would be concerned with Melara. _Why did I leave her side?_ Jaime caught sight of a serving girl cowering in his path and gave her command to find the ones that had arrived with Melara moments before. The small girl, no older than Tommen and just as blonde, seemed eager to leave her post near the room where Roose and Ramsay still sat. _Gods, this is no place for Melara. Not anymore._

When Jaime had turned into the hall that would lead to Catelyn's room, he noticed the guards were no longer at their post. Instead of feeling relief, it only brought Jaime more worry. As he made his way closer, he could hear Melara's cries through the closed door and he did not hesitate to enter. He had expected to find Melara and Catelyn still alone, but instead it seemed the three women from Melara's party had made their way to Catelyn's chamber as well. He then noticed the guards' prone bodies lying in a heap on the floor and he had barely enough time to react before a knife was thrown at his face, the vague sound reaching his ears as the door was shut behind his back. Jaime's shoulder lurched as the blade sunk into his flesh, but he paid it no mind as he turned back as Melara screamed.

"Stop! Gods, please stop!" Jaime tore his eyes from the woman that had another knife ready to be thrown and looked at Melara. She stood in Catelyn's arms in nothing but her small clothes, tears trailing down her cheeks. Jaime made a step towards her, desperate to help her, to hold her. He saw the second knife come at him, as a third came from another direction. Jaime was able to move from the paths of the weapons while removing the one in his arm in one swift movement. He swung around, catching the woman who had shut the door off guard and trapping her body in his arms, the knife at her throat.

"Lady Stark, would you be so kind as to explain this?" Jaime motioned with his head towards the other two women, then the unconscious, maybe dead, guards. The girl in his arms struggled as the other two wildings closed in on Jaime.

"These three arrived with Melara." Rowan and Squirrel, the two women who had been advancing on Jaime, stopped their movements.

"I've never met a midwife that could throw a knife." The three wilding women each let out a snort of laughter, causing Jaime to push the knife in his hand further into the skin on Holly's neck. He nodded his heads once more in the direction of the guards. "Or that could take a man down in a fight."

"They lied. Robb, Father…" Melara's broken voice filled the room for a moment before her cries began anew. Jaime released the girl in his arms, shoving her none to gently to the ground before trying once more to reach Melara.

"They are wildling spearwives. Sent here to free me." Catelyn had been hesitant to believe the three women who claimed to be there to rescue her. Even as the guards were being dragged inside her room, Catelyn could hardly believe that her aid was to be wilding women. "Rowan, help me sit her down." Jaime saw one of the women react, but he refused to allow someone other than he to help Melara.

"Call off your harpies, Lady Stark." Catelyn nodded to the women and they allowed Jaime to finally return to his wife's side. He looked Catelyn in the eye as they helped Melara to sit. "If they throw another knife at me, I will be forced to draw my sword. It has not had blood on it in weeks."

"Oh, Gods." Melara's exclamation was not one of pain, but of surprise. Her face flushed red as she felt the gush of liquid between her legs. "I did not…it just…the water just came." Catelyn looked down and knew that soon, Melara would bring her child into the world.

"Melara, you need to lay back now. When you feel the pain begin, do not fight it. Bear down and push. Do you understand?"

"How do I…"

"I cannot tell you, your body will know." Catelyn looked to Jaime next. "Help me lie her down." Catelyn and Jaime move Melara into a laying position, her knees remaining bent. Catelyn stood just as Melara begin to clench her fists and jaw, clearing trying to push the pain away. "You need to leave, Lannister. The birth chamber is not for men." Jaime opened his mouth to speak, to tell Catelyn that she was insane to think her would leave Melara again, but Holly spoke first.

"M'Lady, it's you that needs to leave. We've been told to get you out as soon as we arrived." Catelyn stared at the sight before her. Jaime had once again knelt by the bed and laid his forehead against Melara's. His lips were moving as he whispered things to his wife that Catelyn could not hear. Jaime lowered his head and placed his lips over Melara's in a brief kiss, and Catelyn willed herself to look away. It pained her to see Jaime Lannister, her enemy, as anything more than the arrogant man who crippled her son. She refused to look at the sight before her and see a man holding his laboring wife's hand, a man defying everyone to be there, a man and not a monster. Jaime turned his face to look at Catelyn, the sweat from Melara's forehead flattening his golden locks.

"I won't stop you." Rowan, Holly and Squirrel took Jaime's words as a dismissal and moved to leave. Rowans grabbed hold of Catelyn's arm and lead her to the door, the room remaining silent apart from the moans of pain being pulled from Melara's mouth. Holly opened the door a small bit and slipped into the hall. It was a few moments before the young wilding returned, telling the others the path was clear.

"Gods, Jaime, I can't do this. I can't do this."

"You have no choice, love. You are bringing our child into the world." Catelyn made once last glance back over her shoulder at the bed, and it was her undoing.

"I am not leaving her." Catelyn did not wait to see if the wildings followed her, but strode back to stand beside Jaime. As her hand touched the still open wound on his shoulder, Jaime startled a bit but turned to face her nonetheless. "If you insist on staying by her side, you must do as I say. No questions." Jaime gave a nod and Catelyn lifted Melara's skirts, the thought passing through all of their minds that Melara may die and Catelyn may fail. Jaime's hand took hold of Catelyn's wrist and she halted her movements.

"Thank you." Catelyn wanted to snap at him, to tell him she wasn't there to help _him_, but to save Melara. She wanted to slap the look of gratitude from his eyes, wanted to see the arrogance there instead. There were many things Catelyn wanted to do, wanted to say, but instead she gave him a silent nod. She heard Melara take in a deep breath and then felt the girl's body straining, pushing to free the child. The three wildlings had returned to the bed as well, refusing to leave without their charge. Catelyn began giving orders, telling one to each brace Melara's legs as the third was sent to gather fabric and water.

For Jaime, time seemed to slow around him as his wife suffered in his arms. With each push she gave, her face lost more color. He felt useless as the women busted about him, stroking Melara's hair from her face or whispering words in her ear. When Catelyn nearly shouted that she could see the babe, Jaime and Melara locked eyes. The sounds faded, the smells faded, and for that one moment, it was only Jaime and Melara. She did not close her eyes, but continued to stare at him she felt a heavy pressure farther down than her belly.

"He's…coming…now…" Melara's voice was for only Jaime to hear, and the words nearly made tears fall from his eyes. She adjusted her hold on Jaime's hand and took a in a large breath before finally closing her eyes and pushing with every ounce of strength she had left. Her cries were the loudest that Jaime had yet to hear from her, and soon it was joined by the cries of the babe. Melara felt nothing but relief as her legs were laid on the bed and Catelyn cleansed the wailing, small babe.

"He is small, but he is breathing." Melara could not stop the tears that ran hot down her cheeks as she listened to the babe, _her son_. She opened her eyes to see tears silently running down Jaime's cheeks as well. Catelyn lifted the newly born boy up and offered him to Melara. Jaime watched as his son, his first trueborn son, was laid on his wife's now bare chest. Melara gave a weak smile, but she only seemed to have eyes for the child in her arms. Jaime placed a kiss to her cheek, then one to the babe's head.

"I love you, sweet wife."

Catelyn took to cleansing Melara after Holly had cut the cord attached to the babe. When Melara felt the pains continue in her stomach, Catelyn had assured her she could feel them lessen as the hours passed. Jaime gently pushed Melara so that she could sit, but it seemed to make the pain in her womb worsen. Her back rested against Jaime's chest trying to ignore the pain as her son began to suckle on her breast. Jaime wrapped his arms around both her and the babe, and they simply sat on the bed for a short while. Catelyn once more had been prepared to depart when Melara let out another cry of pain. She looked to the young woman, not entirely ready to leave her one time ward, and saw that something was not right. Melara's face had become twisted with pain once more as Jaime took the babe into his arms for the first time.

"Lay her down." At Catelyn's desperate plea the wildings moved back to Melara's side. Jaime did not stand, but sat on the bed with his son watching Melara. The young woman, still pale and still weak, began to grit her teeth once more, pushing as she had to bring her son into the world. Catelyn put her hands on Melara's belly, and her face went pale. "There is another. Twins." Jaime's eyes snapped to Catelyn's face for only a moment before looking back to Melara. He had seen men dying on the field of battle that looked better than she did at that moment, and he felt fear fill him. Catelyn brought her shaking hand to feel inside Melara for the child. Her eyes widened when instead of feeling a head, she felt a distinct foot. "The second babe is breach. I…do not know if…"

Catelyn's tears came quickly when she realized what she was about to say. _Gods be good. I truly do not know if she will live._ She reluctantly brought her eyes up to see Jaime staring down at Melara. She could not look away as she watched a single tear trail down his face.

Jaime would not accept Melara's death. As he look upon her face, just as beautiful as the day nearly a year ago when he had arrived in Winterfell with Robert. _I can't. I fucking can't let her or the child die. Children._ Jaime felt sick at what he was about to suggest, but as he could already feel the cold of grief setting in, he did not care.

"Go find Ramsay Bolton. Now." He spoke to no one in particular, but Holly jumped up and ran out the door in search of the Bastard. Catelyn gave him a questioning look as the two remaining wildings moved to hide the bodies of the guards. Melara had quieted as the contraction had passed, and Jaime hoped that she was merely sleeping for a moment. "He mentioned…seeing a babe be cut from its mother. When the mother could no longer…"

"I have seen that performed on cattle. It is not meant for a woman! She will surely die if you—"

"She will die if we don't!" Jaime's voice was full of despair and desperation. Catelyn knew Jaime was right, but was not ready to allow the Bastard of Bolton to bring a knife to Melara's skin. Jaime seemed to hold the babe in his arms tighter as he took in a shaky breath. He looked to Catelyn, his eyes feeling as if they pierced her very soul as he spoke. "Please, Catelyn. Save my wife." The door opened once more and Ramsay strolled into the room. Jaime saw the sick gleam that seemed to sparkle in Ramsay's eyes.

"Ser Jaime, what a mess you've caused in this room."

"Where do you cut to save the babe and my wife." Ramsay's meaty lips twitched into a cruel smile, finding amusement in what Jaime had said, but remained silent. His steps were slow, measured, as he approached the bed. Catelyn quickly covered Melara's exposed body. "Did you hear me, boy? When you watched the maester cut a babe from—"

"Forgive me, Ser, but it seems that you already have a babe in your arms. Two does seem a bit greedy." If Jaime had not been holding his infant son, he would have pulled his sword and killed the Bastard. It was Catelyn who spoke next, her tone pleading.

"How did the maester save the woman and her child?"

"It was no maester, but the man wielding the knife cut just so." He made an indication of where to cut across his own stomach. "But sadly both the woman and child did not survive." By the deepening of the boy's smirk, Jaime knew that the sadness Ramsay tried to portray was merely feigned. He looked to Jaime once more. "You still have _one_ son, Ser. A man only needs one son." Ramsay gave his farewells just as Melara tried to push once again, only resulting in a weakening of her body.

"Which of you is most steady with a knife?" Catelyn spoke the question with a shaking voice and shaking hands. "I can mend the cut but I am the least experienced with a blade. We will need a needle, and hairs from a horse's tail for thread." Jaime looked between his wife and the child in his arms, cursing the Gods for their cruelty. In mere hours he had been given his wife and their child, just to have his wife and second child threatened by death.

"I will cut. I have to most skill with a blade." Jaime didn't even recognize his own voice as the words were spoken. He was grateful that Melara had not been awake to hear her fate. Jaime was reluctant to release the hold he had on his son, but after a kiss to the sleeping infant's bald head he placed the babe in Catelyn's arms. Melara awoke and began to push again, desperate to bring the second child into the world. Jaime noticed that each push was weaker than the last. "Melara, save your strength." The wilding women had gathered the supplies they would need and each one took hold of a part of Melara's body. She did not struggle against them, her strength drained, but did question why they were holding her down.

"Why?" As if the Gods had not sent Jaime through a harsh layer of Hell already, he was now faced with telling his wife, his sweet Melara, that she may be about to die. And he would be the one to kill her.

"We have to cut the second child from your belly."

Jaime words brought tears to his eyes, but he blinked them away knowing he need to see clear if Melara had any chance of survival. Tears sprung to her eyes as well and her mind told her to fight against the women restraining her, told her to demand that Catelyn put the son she had already delivered back into her arms. _For the last time._ Melara openly sobbed, but could not find the strength to fight any longer as her body was wracked with pain. Jaime ordered that Melara be given something to bite against, and a small bundle of tightly rolled fabric was placed between her teeth.

Jaime was handed the small dirk, still warm from being heated over a fire to stave off infection, and wiped his sweaty palms on a blanket before placing them over Melara's swollen belly. He placed a small kiss upon the skin, feeling the babe moving within against his lips, before placing the edge of the dirk against his wife's skin. Jaime knew that if he moved the blade slowly, it would only prolong the agony, and prepared himself to quickly perform the unthinkable

Melara felt Jaime's lips against her skin, feeling the metal next. She began to panic when he pressed the side of the dirk into her skin, and the panic rose even more when she could not move. Melara tried to scream out her pain, but the fabric she was meant to bite on muffled her cries. When the pain had become too intense and when her body had taken all the strain it could, Melara's eyes closed and her body went slack. It was less than a moment later when Jaime pulled his second true born son into the world.

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Yikes. Melara, and the second child, do not die...at least not at this point. This was just where the chapter ends, and I almost left it but then I decided that was evil and I put this little spoiler in here. I repeat: Mama and Baby live. Also, the idea for the C-section actually came from watching "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves". I don't own that, and I give full credit to that movie for the inspiration.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

I'm back! I am truly sorry for the delay. I am going to shoot for updates _at least _once a week from here on out. But of course that depends on my health and all that.

I had a little surprise once I returned to this site. I discovered that I was nominated in the "Game of Thrones Christmas Awards 2012". Wow! That was a nice little "welcome back"! If you'd like to participate in voting, either for me or some other wonderful stories and authors, you can find it under the "forum" section of this site. Under TV shows, then Game of Thrones. It is the second to last forum on the page. I hope that helps to find it! Pretty awesome! Thanks to xXRoweenaJAugustineXx for bringing that to my attention. I would have never even known my name and story was thrown into the pot!

Now…shall we continue?

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Jaime had often recalled each moment that had altered his path in life. The day his mother died. The first time he took Cersei to bed. Joining the Kingsguard. Slaying the king he was meant to protect. Saving a small girl from near death. Each of those moments were clear in his mind but Jaime had yet to discover the one moment when his path had changed so drastically that he would need to cut his own wife's belly to bring his son into the world. _My second true born son. What Gods were so cruel as to decide my sweet wife must nearly die? Is this my penance for my sins? _Jaime tightened his hold on the wailing babe, not out of anger but out of fear that the tiny being would slip away. He heard the woman around him yelling at him, begging him to move away from Melara's body so that they may sew the wound.

Jaime didn't feel as if he was in control of his body, his limbs seemingly moving on their own accord to free the space closest to Melara. He looked from the child he held in his bloody hands to the wound that he hoped would heal on Melara, the red of her blood contrasting with both the skin of Jaime's hands and the skin of her stomach. Jaime tore his eyes away from the sight of blood to look at Melara's face that had lost much of its coloring. _If I lose her…I will know the pain that I have caused so many. The Gods give me their cruelty even as the people I have wronged are given their justice._ Jaime did not take his eyes from the peaceful face of his sleeping wife even as he heard Catelyn call to him.

"You did what any man would do to save their wife." Catelyn moved closer to Jaime as she continued to speak. "And what any parent would do to save their child." Jaime did pull his eyes away from Melara then, first looking at both of his sons before connecting his gaze with Catelyn's. A silence seemed to fall over the room, the only noises coming from the wildings that once again set about gathering their belongings.

It was almost painful for Catelyn to be standing in that room, being back in Winterfell holding a newborn babe in her arms brought forth memories of her children. Instead of looking away from the defeated look on Jaime's face, Caetlyn instead closed her her eyes closed it was easy for Lady Stark to allow her mind to wander to a different place, one where her husband stood by her side and her children smiled freely before her. Her lips turned upwards in a hint of a smile at her mind's fantasy, but her happy thoughts vanished when Jaime's voice reached her ears.

"Will she live? Will the babes…our sons…live?"

Catelyn opened her eyes to see that Jaime had once more turned his attention to Melara. Jaime made his way around Catelyn to sit on the bed next to his wife, the smaller of the two babies still held tightly to his chest. Catelyn gave a quick glance to the wildings that would soon be urging that her time to leave was now. It seemed as if they had cared for Melara, the mark that would forever now be on her skin had been cleansed and sewn, and then had gathered the small amount of items that they arrived with. Catelyn felt the boy in her arms stir and she looked down into his face, seeing the blue eyes that most newborns possessed, but also seeing the thin coating of dark hair on his head. _A Lannister with black hair._ Lady Stark could not stop the pain she felt in her heart when thinking of her own children, remembering the hours that she held them in the same way she now held Melara's child. She looked to the young woman who would now be seen as a mother and thought of Jaime's question. _If she lives, what will become of Melara's life now?_ Catelyn did not answer Jaime's question, but posed to him one of her own.

"How is it that no more than one year ago you could throw my son's life away, yet now, here within the same walls, you ask me if I saved yours? " Catelyn expected Jaime to turn to her and give a smirk and say something arrogant. She _hoped_ that would be what Jaime responded with. Since the day when she discovered it was he who had pushed Bran, Catelyn had made her decision about the type of man that Jaime was. But since her recent travels that image she had upheld in her mind of the man before her had begun to warp. She had set her hatred aside for only a moment when Melara's life had been held nearly in her hands, but her thoughts had strayed to her own children. Catelyn knew that when Jaime had pushed Bran from the window it was the first of many events that lead them all to where they stood in that moment. _If he had not pushed Bran, I would not have wrongly accused Tyrion. If only I had not taken him…maybe Ned would still be alive._ Catelyn lifted her eyes from the child in her arms just as Jaime turned his head once more to look at her.

"What would you have me do, Lady Stark? Pledge my life to you, in the hopes of forgiveness? I may have crippled the boy but it was the Bolton's who ended his life." Jaime paused for a moment, turning his head to the side as if just remembering something. "Ramsay Bolton is the reason your sons are dead…and the reason that my sons will live." Melara let out a small noise and Jaime turned his attention back to her, hoping that she would awaken. After a moment of silence passed he continued to speak to Catelyn. "I could not undo the Mad King's terrible deeds when I ended his life. But instead I did what a man trained in the ways of the sword could do. I did the same thing that your oldest is trying to do. Bring about death to stop death."

"I—"

"Your son has killed many in the hopes that when he is finished killing his enemies, there will be peace. I was thinking no different that day. What was the life of one little boy I did not know compared to my life and the life of my sister, who held my heart. With his death, what little peace in my life would remain and the children that Robert claimed to be his would remain as such. Your son would have been dead but those three children would live." Jaime co

"I will never forgive you for what you have done to my family."

"And I will forever be grateful for what you have done for mine."

Catelyn found no mocking in Jaime's voice, only making her need to hate him grow. She knew that their families would never allow for anything but animosity between them, and that there would be no words of forgiveness spoken. And yet there would now be a bond between three of the Great Houses. Melara, the once frightened girl that seemed broken beyond repair, would now be the one fragile element holding many together. _The Starks that remain alive will forever see her as one of them. The Baratheons must not forsake their own blood while the Lannisters cannot deny the girl they claimed as their own by marriage. _The sound of both babes beginning their cries once more brought Catelyn out of her thoughts. She watched as Jaime brought the child in his arms to Melara's chest, positioning them both so that the babe would be secure, and covered both mother and child with blankets. Jaime turned slightly and opened his arms in a silent request for his other son, but at Catelyn's hesitation he fully turned to face her. Jaime stood from the bed and took as step towards Catelyn, his hands still outstretched.

"Your saviors await, Lady Stark." Jaime motioned with his head towards the wilding women who had gathered at the door, ready to complete the task given to them and deliver Catelyn back to Robb Stark. "If you should ever find yourself near Casterly Rock I am sure you would be welcomed." Catelyn handed the babe carefully over to Jaime and turned to leave, a sense of relief flooding her at hearing the familiar arrogant tone in his voice. She paused once more in the doorway, looking back over her shoulder just as she had done hours ago when Melara had been in full labor.

"And once my son and Stannis Baratheon win this war, if you should ever find _yourself_ alive…it will be by a miracle from the Gods…both the Old and the New." Catelyn did not wait for a response but instead followed the wildings into the hall. She was more than ready to once again be reunited with her son. She did not wait to hear Jaime's quietly spoken response.

"Well played, Lady Stark." Jaime let a faint smile grace his lips at Catelyn's parting words. He could see very much of both Ned and Catelyn's qualities in the children that he had met. _The three children I fathered with Cersei show none of my qualities._ Jaime slowly rocked the small boy in his arms, remembering Cersei doing the same when Joffrey had cried. _Will my true born sons show qualities of mine as they grow?_ Jaime walked slowly to the door and locked it, not wanting any unnecessary interruptions for the next hours. _Will these two live? Will my sweet wife live?_ Jaime allowed his shoulders to slump forward a bit and felt the few tears that leaked from his eyes as they made their watery path down his cheeks. He realized that the room now lay silent as the thick walls and heavy windows blocked much of the noise from outside and as the babes had quieted. Jaime wanted nothing more than to leave in that instant, to take his wife and sons away, but knew it would be foolish to try.

Jaime made his way to the bed, sitting next to the prone form of his wife once he was close enough. He was able to lay the second babe onto Melara's chest, and once he did he was able to see that the second born twin was notably smaller than the first. _Could he be a dwarf like Tyrion?_ Jaime's thought of his brother only made him want to leave Winterfell even faster and return to Casterly Rock. There he would be able to keep his wife and newborn sons safe while searching out for his lost brother. _What joy father will feeling knowing that our name shall live on because of these two boys. _Jaime felt bitterness over come him at the thoughts of Tywin. He had no desire to bring Melara back to King's Landing, knowing that Cersei would continue on the path of death and destruction she had planned for Melara.

Jaime continued to watch as his wife and sons slept, his watchful eyes never once threatening to close. When one of the babes, the smaller of the two, began to whine Jaime was able to position him as Melara's breast. It was a difficult task for Jaime, knowing the way of the sword rather than the way of a father, but he was able to manage. When Melara did not stir as the child nursed it caused a numbing fear to take hold of Jaime. He had never been a man to fear his own death, knowing that he could prevent it with only a sword in his hand, but the death of his wife would be one that he could not prevent.

_I will not have her taken from me the same way that my mother was. _

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Returning from the land of dreams in to the waking world happened in a series of stages for Melara. The first sense that returned to her was her hearing. The words spoken around her entered into her dreams, making her wonder what was truth and what was fantasy. Her mind showed her images of Jaime sitting with both her uncles Renly and Robert around a fire, all of them discussing Milk of the Poppy. The images shifted and became foggy, but Jaime's voice was sounding much clearer. Her second sense that returned brought with it pain throughout her body and the ache in her breasts.

"I'm sorry, milord, we only had enough for the first two days. The third and fourth days she was only given a small dose to make the supply last."

"Send for more. Someone in this damn wasteland must have some."

She recognized Jaime's voice but the woman who had spoken did not sound like Catelyn nor would Lady Stark refer to Jaime as 'milord'. Melara tried to move her limbs, but found that it only made the pain throughout her body intensify. She would have to give her thanks to the person that had given enough thought to prop her body into a comfortable sitting position of the bed. Melara's third sense returned and she was able to taste the remnants of an odd flavor in her mouth. She parted her lips and willed any noise to pass through them. What she had tried to turn into words only continued as a soft moan. She heard the soft sound of a baby's cry and that finally brought her fourth sense, the gift of sight, back to her.

She blinked her eyes and gave them time to focus, grateful that the only light in the room coming from the small fire. Melara watched in a trance as the shadows danced along the familiar stone walls of Winterfell. Her body ached when she tried to move, mostly her lower half, so she settled for only moving her eyes over her surroundings. When her sights landed on Jaime's back a choked sob was pulled from her throat. The sound may have been no louder than a whisper but Jaime turned as quickly as if she had shouted at him.

The two simply stared at each other in silence, Melara wondering if she was still dreaming and Jaime not believing that she was truly awake. Jaime took a step forward to better see Melara's face in the low light. When her eyes followed his movements he felt the tension lessen that had wound up throughout his body over the last days since Melara had given birth. He took another step, slow and measured, and then another. When the faintest of smiles passed across Melara's lips, Jaime closed the short distance between them in hurried steps. He knelt at her bedside and gently moved her hair back from her face, laying his palm against her cheek. Melara leaned into his touch, a soft sigh moving through her parted lips. Jaime continued to hold her face in his hand as he brought his lips to hers. Melara felt the tears sliding down her cheeks and realized that Jaime made no move to wipe them away. As he pulled his face back from hers, he opened his mouth as if he had the intention of speaking but a small cry from over his shoulder cut him off. Melara's eyes widened at the realization that it was her son that was calling out to her the way that only a babe can.

"That will be the Larger One." Melara shifted her body higher on the pillows, only giving off a small grimace of pain, and watched as Jaime moved from her side into the darkest corner of the room. When he returned he carried what looked to be a bundle of cloth, but once Jaime knelt again by her side Melara could see the face of her first born. His tiny cry, coupled with his slightly flailing arms and legs and the sudden sharp pain in Melara's breasts, signaled to the new mother that her son needed to be fed. Jaime offered the boy to Melara, to which she silently accepted. Melara's mind was still not clear, but she tried to recall how Catelyn had fed Arya, Bran and Rickon. It was difficult for Melara's thoughts to come clearly, mostly from the after affects of her traumatic labor and whatever Jaime and the woman who had spoken had given to Melara while she slept. Jaime helped Melara to expose her breast and position the child, both of them fumbling a bit trying to complete the task. Once the baby was contently suckling, Melara was able to fully look at her son.

"He's beautiful." Her voice was hoarse from lack of use and her words came out little more than a whisper. Melara did not tear her eyes from her nursing son for fear that this was still part of her dreams and soon the image would be gone. Even as Jaime spoke to her, she did not look away.

"He's _handsome_. Like his father."

"Where is the other…" Jaime motioned with his head to the dark corner from where he had just been. Melara did not notice the gesture, so Jaime once again spoke.

"The Smaller One is sleeping in the corner. He does not eat as much as the Big One." Melara gave a shake of her head at the names Jaime had given their sons. She remained silent for a few moments, letting the suckling sounds reach her ears. She had so many questions but already felt exhaustion overtaking her body once more. She decided to try and find the answers before her eyes closed on their own accord.

"Jaime, how is it that our sons were fed while I slept? Is there a wet-nurse here?"

"There is no wet-nurse but there are two women that have been by your side holding the b—our sons to your breast. They offered assistance in exchange for safety from the Boltons." Melara felt an overwhelming flood of emotions while listening to Jaime speak. Her tears were silent as they flowed down her cheeks and she did not move to wipe them away. "You were given Milk of the Poppy, or something of similar origins. Your…wound shows no signs of infection. It was a good, clean cut. It has only been four days but you are—"

"Stop!" Melara's outburst shocked Jaime into silence. When she lifted her head to look at him, he saw the tears that she did not try to fight off. "I just—Please, Jaime. I do not…want to know right now. Later…Tell me…later." Jaime nodded his head before leaning closer to place a soft kiss on Melara's forehead. He stayed close to her side while the babe nursed, watching as her eyes seemed to grow heavy. It only seemed a few moments that the larger of the two twins nursed and soon the child was asleep in his mother's arms. Melara seemed to have calmed and her voice was back to a whisper when she spoke. "Will you bring the other boy? Please? I want to see him before I am overcome by sleep." Jaime went to retrieve the second baby and placed him on Melara's lap for her to see. She smiled once more followed by a grimace of pain from the weight so near to her wounded stomach. Jaime lifted the younger son and held him up for Melara to compare the two boys. "I can see why you gave them their names of Smaller One and Larger One." Melara leaned her head back slowly moving her body into a position that would relieve the pain she felt, all while still holding her son. "When I wake next we must give them proper names, Jaime." Melara let a smile stay on her face as she once again drifted into the land of dreams. But even as sleep overtook her, she knew that the days to come would bring about more challenges than anything she had yet to face.

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I forgot to thank everyone for their reviews and favorites of this story. I would love it if you wonderful, amazing, lovely readers would leave me a review with your thoughts on this chapter and the direction that this story is going. Or to just let me know that I haven't lost any readers or reviewers. I miss seeing some of the names on the reviews that I had for Bent, not Broken or earlier on in this story. Until next time…thanks for reading!


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

I hope everyone enjoyed, or will enjoy, their Holiday Festivities! The same will be said for this chapter, the enjoying part I mean. Thanks for the support on the last chapter. If you haven't already I encourage everyone to check out the Game of Thrones Christmas Awards 2012. It has been altered a bit and the voting (and nominating?) has been extended. Even if you don't vote you can check out the nominated stories and authors and maybe discover a fic that you have yet to enjoy.

This chapter is a bit shorter but it sets up something…big. As far as the plot goes.

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It was a week after Melara had given birth before she attempted to remain out of bed for longer than a few moments. The supply of Milk of the Poppy had run dry and the lingering effects were being removed from Melara's body, allowing her mind to clear and her pain to return. The babes seemed to sleep less and wail more as the days passed, as the small traces of the poppy's milke being passed from mother to child lessened. Melara had been terrified at the amount of blood she continued to pass between her legs but the women, who no longer came to her aide, had explained that it was to be expected. They were unable to tell Melara if the incision that had been made on her stomach would heal quickly, neither knowing the answer. Jaime had been the one to supply his wife with calming words, being that he had the most experience with wounds in comparison to the three women.

It was in the early morning hours, when the castle around her was still in a deep slumber, that Melara found herself troubled by her thoughts. She had many times found herself silently weeping when gazing on her sons' sleeping forms and it seemed that on this morning it would be no different. The young woman did not understand her tears and when Jaime had questioned her she had told him as much.

And for the third early morning Jaime had awoken to find his young wife out of bed, seeing the troubled look that crossed her features even in the low light of the dying fire. He glanced as their sons on the bed next to him and carefully stood lest he wake them. Melara showed no signs that she even noticed he had come to stand beside her, but when she softly whispered Jaime his actions had been seen.

"What happens now, Jaime? Do we remain locked behind heavy doors until death stands on the other side waiting for us?" Jaime was becoming familiar with the dark thoughts his wife shared, and it only made him long to see her sweet smile and to hear her playful words. He opened his arms to her and she all but fell into them, resting her weak body against the strength that Jaime offered.

"Melara." Her name sounded so sweet on Jaime's lips, so kind, and it had been far too long since someone had spoken her name in such a way. She had forgotten the way that he made her feel, the strange way her body seemed to react only to him. Melara tried to forget the past months of pain and anger and sadness and just become lost in Jaime's embrace. "What has turned you sour, Sweet Girl?" Melara tensed in his arms and Jaime continued speaking quickly before her tears could fall from her eyes once again. "You have seen too much, I suppose."

"I am not _sour_. It is just that I… have had many threats made towards me because of our marriage. Forgive me if I cannot forget those words the moment they fell on my ears." Jaime ran his hand through Melara's hair, smoothing the wild locks back into place as he guided her to rest her cheek against his chest.

"Don't forget those words, love. Or the ones who spoke them. If you do, you lose the only edge you have on your enemies. If you see those men again, you will remember them and know to stay away." Melara let out a sigh but did not offer a response. She knew that Jaime was correct in that not forgetting who her enemies were would only be protecting herself. _I will never remember every man and woman who has spoken ill of me._ Melara pulled back to look at her husband, wishing that she could feel joy even it was for just a small moment. It was painful for her when she would look at her children and know that their lives would never be their own. If it was their Lannister name or Baratheon blood that would claim them, Melara was not sure. _Their lives depend on who wins this damn war._

"I want to leave this place." Melara's voice was firm when she spoke and her eyes remained locked with Jaime's, nearly challenging him to deny her.

"As do I but you and our sons would never survive the journey. Until you are well enough for travel and our sons live through their first weeks of life we will stay in Winterfell." It pained Jaime to think that their sons would die and he saw the same from Melara when he spoke the words. "We will travel South but this War has damaged all of Westeros and no place is safe."

"No place in Westeros." Jaime looked at Melara with a bit of shock shown on his features. She brought her hands up to cup his face with her palms, running her thumbs across his cheeks in a gently pattern. "Jaime, no matter the outcome of this War our son's lives will never be safe. If we leave Westeros…"

Jaime had considered that fantasy before, but instead it had been Cersei that he stole away to the Free Cities. He knew it would be easy for him to secure travel for them, and he could secure of a life for them as well using a small part of the Lannister fortune. This was one of those moments were he wished he could do what he wanted and take his new family away, but then the memories of his other family would creep in. Jaime truly wished he could forsake his father and his sister, but he knew that he would never be rid of the memories of them. Each day he would be reminded of his failure as a son or a brother. As his sons grew older Jaime knew they would ask of their family name. And what then would Jaime say? That their father was a coward and ran and that was the reason that they did not know their Lannister relatives? _I am no coward. _Jaime braced himself for Melara's reaction when he denied her, unsure if his wife would cry, scream of remain silent.

"We cannot leave Westeros. Not yet." His little wife surprised him when her lips turned into a sad smile, so small that Jaime could barely see it in the dim light.

"I know. You will never leave. I've known since the day you did not ride after me when I departed from King's Landing." Melara leaned forward and placed a kiss against Jaime's cheek. His heart ached at her words and her sweet gesture, the memories of that day finding their way back to the front of his mind. He remained silent as she left his arms and struggled into bed next to their sleeping sons. Jaime ran a hand through his hair in frustration. It would have been easier if she would have yelled or fought, but it would not have been something that Melara would do even in her highly emotional state. Since they had been reunited Jaime had noticed that she restrained herself from arguing or disagreeing with him. Any man would have been glad to have their wife be obedient and docile, but of course Jaime was not a _any _man.

He remained watching over his wife and sons as they slept, unable to find sleep himself because of the thoughts plaguing his mind. He knew Melara was wise to suggest they simply leave Westeros but Jaime was too stubborn, too proud to run. He had yet to learn to listen to his wife's ideas, and one day listening to Melara may be the only way for him to survive the War.

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"Jaime?"

He had been staring into the fire to pass the time when her voice hit his ears. Melara's voice had lost the exhausted quality to it over the last week as each day brought back more of her strength. It had now been three weeks since he had been reunited with his wife and she had nearly died giving birth. They had settled into a routine between the two of them, with Melara finding motherhood to be easier than expected but still quite difficult with her lack of ability to lift or stand without severe pain. She had yet to venture out of her room and Jaime was reluctant to leave her alone. It seemed that the longer they spent shut away, the easier it was for Melara to wear a smile.

For most of their waking hours Jaime and Melara spent time discussing what had happened to each other during their time apart. Jaime noticed that Melara had yet to fully return to the girl he had once known but he still felt love towards the woman that motherhood had made her become. _That _I_ made her become._ Jaime turned to face his young wife and saw her expectant face staring back at him from her place next to the bed. She had insisted on standing more and more, once again making Jaime notice the hidden strength that his wife possessed. He stood from his chair and made his way to the bed. He saw that only one of the babes was on the bed flailing his arms and legs.

"The other one in sleeping." Melara answered Jaime's unspoken question before sliding her hand into his. "The Larger One as you have named him." Melara nodded her head towards the smaller of the two babies that lay on the bed. "This one seemed to want to join us in the waking world." Jaime looked at the smaller of his two sons on the bed and once again wondered if he would stay small compared to his older and larger brother. Thoughts of Tyrion passed through Jaime's mind for a moment before Melara's voice filled the room once more. "I think it is time that we name them."

"I have named them." Jaime could not stop the chuckle that passed his lips from the look on Melara's face in response to his words. It was a mixture of annoyance with a small amount of amusement thrown in, proving to Jaime that each day Melara's mind also grew healthier. "Well if you must give them _proper_ names what would you suggest, dear wife?" She opened her mouth to respond but Jaime quickly spoke again before the words left her mouth. "I must warn you not to suggest either of your Uncle's names, Sweet Girl."

While his words seemed like a threat the tone in which he spoke was playful, a tone that Melara had not heard for many months. She did not respond immediately but instead she turned her body and brought her lips closer to his. They had shared many kisses and sweet touches since they had been reunited but this time was the first that Melara did not have tears in her eyes. Jaime closed the final distance between their bodies and moved his lips against Melara's in a slow rhythm. With her right hand still entwined with his left Melara brought her left hand up to cup his cheek, causing him to turn his body towards hers. Jaime mirrored her gesture and held her face in his right hand before running his fingers through her hair. He moved his lips from her to travel across her jaw line, the hand in her hair gently pulling her head back to give him better access. Melara let out a sigh when his lips moved down to her neck, and she brought her hand to rest on his shoulder.

Jaime moved his hand from her hair to trail down her back, pushing her body slightly into his. The sudden movement, no matter how slight, pulled a gasp from Melara from both surprise and pain. Jaime released his wife, knowing that her body was not yet ready for what he wanted to do with her. When he pulled away from her and saw the slight flush on her cheeks he could not help but smirk. Their fingers remained entwined and Melara has yet to remove her hand from his shoulder, but Jaime put a bit of distance between them.

"Well…Jaime. I thought you were indifferent to my Uncle Renly. That really is such a fine name…" Jaime let a true smile set on his lips as her jest, feeling as if his wife was returning to him from beneath layers of tears, despair and sadness. "But then...to name one of our sons after my Uncle Robert…I do think that your sister would throw a knife at me herself the next time we meet." Jaime's smile slowly slipped away and was replaced instead with a scowl. Melara had meant to continue with the light mood that had finally settled between them, but it seemed that Cersei would never be a topic spoken between them without causing tension. The two remained silent for a moment, each of them turning once more to face their son that lay on the bed before them. Melara gave Jaime's hand a tentative squeeze before breaking the silence. "Ryam."

"What?" Jaime had spoken with a harsher voice than he had intended. The thoughts of Cersei and what would happen should Melara cross her path once more had caused tension in Jaime's body despite the relaxation he had been feeling during the past moments.

"Ryam is my grandfather's name." She paused for a moment before adding, "My mother's father." Jaime felt that Melara had been thinking of their son's names for many days, and now she seemed to be holding her breath waiting for him to reject her suggestion. _I have rejected her suggestions many times before. But I do not see why I must reject this one._ Jaime gave her hand a return squeeze and gave a slight nod of his head.

"Ryam Lannister. A strong name. Would that be for the Larger One then?" Melara nodded her head, her shoulders relaxed once more. "I suppose you also have a name for this one as well?" Jaime gestured with his head towards the babe who had let out a small cry. "You should name him after you, since he seems to be near you more often than not." He reached to pick up the tiny child as Melara moved to sit on the bed. Once she had positioned herself and exposed her breast, Jaime offered her the squirming and whining child. Melara offered her son a breast and continued to stare at him as he nursed, her voice hesitant as she spoke.

"I thought that we would name him…after your mother." Jaime had not been expecting to hear that come from Melara. "Not her exact name but…I had heard the name Joseth being spoken a few years ago…here in Winterfell." Jaime remained silent while contemplating what his wife had said. For all the times that the two had discussed their fathers, it was a rarity to speak of their mothers. Jaime did not respond with words but gave a simple nod of his head to show that he approved. He had a feeling that even if he didn't Melara had already decided on their son's names. "Joseth is a strong name too, Sweetling." Melara held her smaller son close to her breast and watched as his tiny eyelids grew heavy, even as he fought to remain awake. It was a few more minutes later before his eyes fully closed and the room seemed to have a calm pass through it. Just as Melara's eyes started to close as well a knock sounded at the door. Jaime moved to open it, his mind clouded with heavy thoughts of his mother and his brother as he traveled the twenty feet or so to the heavy door. He unlatched the lock and pulled the door open but found the doorway to be empty. Without hesitation Jaime moved quickly to close the door, his years of experience allowing him to recognize a trap that had been set.

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Stannis watched from afar as his plans, which he had spent weeks perfecting, panned out. It really had been child's play for Robb Stark and Jon Snow to breach the wall of their home. Stannis should have suspected as much, knowing that if it had been Storm's End he could have done that same. The snow lightly fell around him as he heard the Red Lady to his left giving thanks to her Lord of Light for the mild weather. Melisandre had spoken at great lengths about her visions in the flames over the last weeks, nearly all of them involving Melara or the boy who looked so much like Renly. Just days after Melara had departed from Castle Black Stannis and Robb had begun the marching their combined forces South, with Jon Snow riding at Robb's side. Stannis noted the initial reluctance of the Bastard to join in their liberation of Winterfell because of his vows to the Night's Watch. Whatever Robb Stark had said to his half-brother had been enough to convince Jon to abandon his post, no matter how temporary.

Their journey to Winterfell had been noticed by many along the road and Stannis had anticipated that the Boltons would be prepared. From the distance it was difficult to determine if Robb and Jon had met resistance inside the walls. Stannis had firmly decided that even if the enemy had prepared for a siege or full attack, they would not have prepared for Robb and Jon lead men inside using the secrets of Winterfell that only would be known by those with Stark blood flowing through their veins.

"This was a poorly thought out plan." Stannis did not respond to Catelyn's insecure statement but instead kept his mind and eyes focused on Winterfell. She and the wilding party that had been sent to smuggle her away from the Boltons had met up with the army a few days ride from Winterfell, as had been planned before Melara had departed weeks earlier. Catelyn had been relieved to see her son and paid Jon no mind, even if it was only with his help that the wildings were convinced to save Catelyn. Stannis and Robb had questioned Lady Stark on the happenings in Winterfell, to which she gave what answers she could, before they informed her of their intentions.

When a flaming arrow was shot high into the sky, Stannis drew his sword as the remainder of his men charged forward to return Winterfell to the King in the North.

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	21. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Buckle up. Wild waters ahead.

Enjoy!

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Jaime awoke surrounded by darkness and bound in chains, with his hands held high over his head and a chain connecting his ankles. He assumed that he was in a dungeon from the stench and the eerie silence that he imagined the dungeons of the North to possess. The muffled sound of a scream far away could be heard, but it was the screams of his wife that still echoed in his ears. Jaime willed his eyes to adjust, straining against his bonds in a futile attempt to free himself before letting his head fall back against the cold stone wall behind him. Jaime adjusted his body to relieve the numbness that had settled throughout his arms. From the lack of feeling in his upper extremities Jaime could only assume it had been more than a few hours since he had failed to protect his wife.

He felt an anger building inside him, anger towards himself, the Gods, the enemy. With no light entering into his assumed cell, Jaime had nothing to distract him from the images that played over in his mind. It had been five men that had forced their way through the door, which he had foolishly opened, as Jaime tried to close it. Jaime drew his sword and sliced two down before the other three had been able to gain the upper hand. Jaime had wanted to look towards Melara, to send her just one more sweet word, but he knew that would be the death of all of them. Instead Jaime focused on the three large men that had remained aggressive in their attack, ignoring their fallen comrades bleeding out at their feet. If Melara had run from the bed and gathered their sons far away from the door or if she had remained where she lay on their bed, Jaime did not know.

Jaime clenched his teeth thinking of what could have happened or was still happening to his wife and sons. It caused an ache to burn within him like nothing he had felt before. It was painful and aching and _agonizing_ as his mind offered images of Melara's still healing body being torn and pulled and pushed. Jaime's numb fingers clenched tightly at the thought of his failure, only hoping that he would live long enough to slaughter the one who had ordered the attack. The three men had bested Jaime before he had been able to recognize their sigils, with two of them relentless in their strikes while the third brought the hilt of his sword towards the back of Jaime's head. _If only I had been seconds faster._ It had taken three blows to his head before Jaime had fallen into darkness with the sounds of Melara's screams accompanying him.

The pain in his body was nothing in comparison to the pain in his mind and his heart. _For these last weeks I have been a fool. For these last years, really. My entire life...I've been nothing more than a fucking fool._ Jaime could see Melara's sweet smile as he denied her request to flee Westeros, feel her soft lips against his cheek. When it had been the two of them and the babes locked away inside their room it had softened Jaime, had shown him a fantasy that he did not want to end. He had thought that fleeing would be something only a coward would do, even now he could hear his father saying something along those same lines should Tywin discover that Jaime had gone. _And because I did not flee, I have once again lost her…and our sons._ Jaime fought against the tears burning his eyes, allowing none to fall onto his cheeks. He refused to show weakness in that moment, if only because his mind was now becoming numb to the pain of the unknown fate that Melara was now facing.

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Stannis strode through the halls behind Lady Stark, his pace slightly less hurried than hers, hours after he had ridden away from her and into battle. The only remaining enemies within Winterfell seemed to be Roose and Ramsay Bolton and Jaime Lannister. Stannis had given the order to his men that any who flew the Bolton sigil or took up sword against them would be slain. Baratheon men had never been known for their forgiving ways or kindness. Although the Bolton patriarch and his Bastard had been spared during the initial purge of Winterfell, they would soon share in the fate of their dead army.

Robb had held his tongue when Stannis ordered the many deaths of their enemies, showing the elder man that Robb was becoming hardened by War. _Just as I was._ Stannis continued taking his slow, measured steps through the halls as his thoughts turned to the victory that would soon be his. _Now that the boy has his home back under Northern control, the focus will return to the Iron Throne. Tywin Lannister will have no allies that will stand by him if he cannot even protect his own son. _Stannis had yet to decide the fate of Jaime or the sons that had been born of the Kingslayer's seed.

During the travel South to Winterfell, Stannis had much time to consider the events that had taken place over the last year. For years he had suspected that Queen had been no more than a whore and the spawn from her womb were not by Robert. Stannis had done his duty to his brother, and King, and not spoken of his thoughts until after Robert had passed. When Ned Stark had all but confirmed Stannis' accusations, it had only fueled the unease that he felt for the Lannisters.

When he had received word that his eldest had been married to Jaime, by way of royal decree, it had made Stannis feel a slight possessiveness towards his daughter but also a disdain for her as well. She was just a weakness that his enemies would use to their advantage. It had taken him many months to devise a strategy that would turn Tywin's own game back upon him.

The day that Jaime's letter had arrived for Melara had been a day of revelation for Stannis. He felt no shame when informing Robb that they would use Melara as bait in order to, once again, capture Jaime Lannister. Only this time, Lady Stark would not interfere and release Melara and Jaime. Stannis took in the form of Catelyn as she walked through the familiar halls of Winterfell. He had been reluctant to allow her freedom, but having her under lock and guard would have nearly shattered the still uneasy truce with Robb. In all of their planning and plotting, he had failed to mention the fact that Robb would still bend the knee to Stannis once the Iron Throne was taken. Stannis had not told a lie, but he had not offered the truth either.

"How much further, Lady Stark? I do not have time for these…trivial matters. The castle is newly ours and enemies need to be dealt with." Catelyn halted and turn to face Stannis, the bored look on his face never leaving even as she spoke.

"_Trivial_ matters? Seeing to your daughter and grandchildren, knowing that they are alive and well, are not _trivial matters._ Perhaps if you knew the pain of losing a child you would not think as you do. Four of the five children I brought into this world are lost to me, all of them loved. Yet you cannot even look upon either of your living daughters with any amount of compassion." Catelyn knew that her words would fall onto Stannis' deaf ears, but voicing her thoughts helped to calm her own nerves. It had been only a few weeks' time since she had departed Melara in her near death-like state. After Catelyn had made sure of Robb's health, she had then inquired of Melara. Only with the urging of the Red Woman did Stannis agree to accompany Catelyn to see to Melara and her son's health.

"Melara has yet to earn my compassion. She continues to drag the Baratheon name into shame with her ways."

"Forgive me, Lord Stannis, but that girl has shown strength without an army. She has escaped death countless times. The least you could do is spare her one moment of your time." Catelyn felt her eyes begin to burn with unshed tears. _It seems this war has torn me in many ways. I cannot lose myself any further._ She blinked her tears away but the familiar walls around her held to much sway on her emotions. _I will save my tears for another time._ Stannis did not seem affected by her silence or her words. She turned to continue, not knowing if he would follow. She allowed her last words on the matter to float behind her, loud enough so that Stannis would hear. "If she were born a son, you would praise her for bravery and strength. Not condemn her."

Stannis stood his ground as Catelyn's footfalls quieted, the small desire to see Melara leaving him at Lady Stark's words. It was not that he had been affected by what she had said, instead her words had made him realize that it truly was a waste of time to surround himself with women. _They allow their emotions to rule them. There are matters that need my attention more than my estranged child._ Stannis turned and began the journey back to the main hall where Robb had remained. He had only made it a few feet before Catelyn's words started to ring true in his mind. _If she were born a son._ Stannis had heard of the birth of two grandsons but had already made his decision to reject them. If not for their Lannister father it would have given him an opportunity to claim one as his heir.

With each step Stannis took the shame of not having a son seemed to weigh on him. Without a legitimate heir the Throne that he had fought for would be passed to the next thief with a false claim. The War would never end, with each House of Westeros brining a claim. Stannis' rule would be forgotten in favor of the stories being told of the Great War. _I will not be simply known as 'King Robert's brother'. I will have a male heir and I will be the king that Robert should have been._ Stannis did not realize that he had been clenching his teeth, taking a calming breath through his nose he willed his jaw to relax. _If my wife will not birth me a son I will raise my grandson as my own._ Stannis changed his course once again, his new intention not to see to his daughter's health but to choose which of her sons would become his.

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Melara had tried to remain calm after Jaime had been struck down. She had searched for a weapon but even as she struggled to stand while holding Joseth she knew it would not matter. Melara had prepared to fight the men to her death, if only to prolong the death of her family. It had been to her surprise that the men did not turn their swords in her direction. Two of them had restrained Jaime's limp form while the third put his hands up as if in surrender. He had given her the option to cooperate or to be bound as well. When Ryam had wailed for her, she agreed to do as they said if she was allowed to retrieve he second son. The large man nodded, to her surprise, and she hurried to attend Ryam, feeling as if her stomach was being ripped open once again. Thinking of the pain she felt then, Melara was brought from her thoughts when a knock sounded on the door of the new room she was given. In her heart she wished it to be Jaime on the other side of the door, but she was smart enough to know that it was not. _I believe that it is Father who awaits entrance._ Melara remained silent and did not move from her position on the bed, both of her sons still held tightly in her arms.

When Catelyn entered a moment later, alone, Melara was both relieved and infuriated. The young woman had been informed that it was her father's army, along with the Northmen, that had reclaimed Winterfell. It did not take her long to realize that she had been used but she had yet to discover the part that she played in her father's game. While seeing Catelyn assured Melara that she would have a trusted woman by her side to answer her questions, it also brought forth worry over what the next days would bring.

"They are beautiful." Catelyn tried to keep a calm and soothing voice, knowing that Melara could be losing control over her emotions from the events that had recently happened. _I was as she is now after hearing of Ned's death. _Catelyn felt pity for the girl that lay before her, knowing that her life would never be what she wanted. Stannis held no love for his daughter and Catelyn did not think he held love for his grandsons either. _I fear that Melara will be lost to me if Stannis kills her sons._ Catelyn now chose to remain silent, worried that her voice would betray her dark thoughts. Melara continued to stare at the older woman, making no noise and no movements.

Catelyn couldn't help but compare that day many years ago, when a broken Melara stood before her, to the present. It was unnerving to see the void in Melara's eyes that had been there upon her first arrival to Winterfell from King's Landing. Catelyn took a few steps closer to the bed, finally receiving a reaction from Melara when she was close enough to see. The young girl had tightened the grip around her sons, whether it was intention or not Catelyn did now know. It was another moment before Melara finally spoke, her voice no more than a hoarse whisper. It seemed to Catelyn that Melara had spent her time crying or screaming.

"Where is Jaime?" Catelyn closed the distance to the bed and sat at Melara's feet, placing a hand on the blanket that covered the girl's legs. The fire was kept low in the room but that did not limit Catelyn in seeing the redness of Melara's eyes.

"He is being held…in a place I do not know." Catelyn spoke the truth, since no one had given her the location of the Kingslayer. She assumed it was so that she could not set him free as she had done before. "All I know is that he is alive." Melara turned her eyes away from Catelyn to look at the sleeping infants in her arms. "But I do not know for how long." Melara's eyes snapped back to Catelyn's face but before she could speak, movement from the still-open door caught her attention. Catelyn turned to see what the girl was now glaring at, and made to stand when she saw it was Stannis that had entered. She halted her movements when he placed a hand out in front of him, in a silent request that she remain seated. He did not close the door once he had entered, a gesture that meant he was not about to stay long.

"I suppose it is my father who will decide how long it is that my husband will live." Although her voice was still held a hoarse quality, when Melara addressed Stannis it was with a strong voice. "Forgive me, Father if I do not rise to show my respect." Melara could picture Jaime's smirk in her mind at the way she spoke to Stannis. She tried to mirror the tone that Jaime used, a sort of shielded mocking tone.

"Watch your tone, girl." The tension in the room seemed to pick at his nerves, making his calm composure falter slightly. "Twice I have offered you what any other _girl_ who would lay with my enemy would only dream of. Instead of joining your _husband_ in the dungeon I have given you sanctuary. Even if you did rise I do not think it would be respect you would show."

"Forgive me, Father." Melara may have spoken words asking for forgiveness, but she had yet to truly want it. She could not believe how foolish she had been to think that Stannis would have given them safety. It seemed that the Starks truly were the only family in Westeros that held honor.

"You see, Lady Stark, why it is I do not offer her _compassion._ She is ungrateful, disrespectful and I will not claim her as my seed." Catelyn gave Melara's leg a squeeze in hopes that the girl would remain quiet. It seemed that Melara had understood Catelyn's silent plea, as the girl did not respond to Stannis' cruel words. Stannis paused for a moment, seeming as if he was daring Melara to continue. When she did not, he continued with a calmer voice. "Let me see the babes."

"No." Melara tightened her hold on her sons, not trusting her father to even look upon them. The image she had once held of her father continued to be shattered. In its place was the hard reality of the cold, unforgiving and ruthless man that was Stannis Baratheon.

"It is my right as their grandfather and your King." Stannis moved closer, not stopping until he towered over his seated daughter. She looked to Catelyn for aide but knew she would receive none, as Stannis would view it as a slight against him. As expected, Catelyn nodded her agreement to Stannis' claim.

Melara turned her gaze back to her father's hardened features, feeling a slight hatred for him for the first time in years. But this was not the hatred from an abandoned girl, but from a young gently shifted her body, carefully unraveling her sons from each other. She placed Ryam on her lap before extended Joseth to her father. His lip seemed to curl, as if insulted, as he looked upon the babe, never holding his arms out to accept the child.

"His name is Joseth. He's a bit smaller than his twin." Melara brought Joseth back towards her and laid him on the bed near her thigh. As she lifted Ryam from her lap, he awoke from the movement. He started to cry out, but quieted quickly as Melara shushed him. She offered him to Stannis in the same way that she had offered Joseth, only this time Stannis' lip did not curl. Melara watched as her father's hands slowly left his sides and rose to accept the child. She did not see the gleam in his eyes, as if she had been offering him the Throne itself. "This is Ryam."

Stannis regarded the squirming boy in his hands. While Joseth had continued to sleep, Ryam was alert and awake. Stannis could see that the boy held Baratheon features, even if that was only true in Stannis' mind, and that compared to his twin Ryam was the stronger of the two. Stannis held no doubt that the smaller of the two would be dead within months while the one he held would grow to be a strong heir. He did not take notice of the name that Melara had called the boy, being that Stannis had already chosen a name for his adopted son. He gave his head a nod, his decision have been made.

"This child will be known as Steffon Barathon, second of his name." Both women in the room had shock on their faces at Stannis' decree. Soon the shock on Melara's face turned to panic as Stannis turned to leave, still holding her son tightly in his grip. She struggled to move, kicking Catelyn in the process of getting her legs out from under the blankets.

"What are you doing?" Stannis did not stop at her question, continuing to leave the room with his newly acquired son. "Father, stop! Give me back my son! Ryam!" Melara's voice became more panicked as Stannis went closer to the door. Catelyn had stood, quickly helping Melara out of bed. At Melara's raised voice both of the babies started their cries, wanting to be near their mother and each other. Catelyn lifted Joseth into her arms, trying to soothe the child and distract herself from what Stannis was doing, unable to watch as another mother lost one of her children. "You cannot take my son! Bastard! Coward!"

Catelyn had never heard Melara use such words, and she had never seen such anguish on the young girl's features. It was painful to watch as Melara struggled to restrain Stannis from leaving, one hand holding her healing stomach and the other wrapped tightly in Stannis' tunic. It took no effort for Stannis to free himself from his daughter's weak grip, and his stride showed no hesitation as he made his way from the room. Catelyn watched in shock as Stannis walked through the door and gave the order to close the lock as he left. Melara fell on her knees in front of the wood, her fist pounding against the door as her hateful words turned to screams. Catelyn knew those screams well, as they had also been pulled from her lips in mourning for her own fallen children.

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	22. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Hello again, hello. I am truly sorry for the hiatus that happened. But alas, I have returned. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Hopefully you've all grown fonder of me…

Thank you for the lovely reviews and such kind words. I try to respond to the reviews that I can, and if I did not please forgive me! I will step it up a notch and reply to every review I can for this chapter.

Speaking of this chapter…not too much action and I am sorry for that. It is kind of a "let's recap the situation" type chapter, with a few revelations thrown in.

Enjoy!

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The once great city of King's Landing had been slowly changing as each day passes that a Lannister sat on the Throne. Although young Tommen was the crowned King, the peasants knew that their misfortune was because of the Queen Regent. Since the death of Joffrey the city had been thrown into worse conditions as the struggle for the crown continued. Many whispers had been heard of the King in the North joining forces with Stannis Baratheon. Those same whispers spoke of many things, but the one that had recently fell upon Cersei's ears was the reason why a vase now lay shattered on the floor.

"Jaime is kept in a dungeon while his little whore wife is laying about in Winterfell? She had this all planned. From the moment we arrived in Winterfell I knew this would happen. Jaime didn't listen to me, he never listened to me." Cersei gracefully crouched towards the floor and took hold of a shard of the vase she had previously thrown against the wall. She wrapped her fingers around the sharp edges as she straightened, feeling no pain as the blood started to pour from her palm.

"Your Grace, if I may, I do think that girl is too simple to have thought of such an elaborate plan." Varys stood calmly near the entrance to Cersei's rooms, watching as the once collected Queen seemed to drift into insanity before his eyes. Of course, he was wise enough to know that she was not the first to hold power that was overcome by a wayward mind, and she certainly would not be the last. Cersei finally straightened her posture, standing proudly at her full height, but did not release the shard from her hand. A smile crossed her lips, one that was not of joy but of spite.

"I thought her simple once." Her hand tightened into a fist. "I even offered her my love as a sister would. I tried to help that ungrateful whore and look at the thanks I GET!" Cersei threw the piece of the broken vase against the floor, smashing it further. Varys continued to stand calmly, not affected by the Queen Regent's sudden outburst. After a moment of silence, Cersei continued in a much calmer tone. "Have you told my father of Jaime's current…whereabouts?"

"Oh, yes, Your Grace. Lord Tywin was informed immediately of Ser Jaime's—"

"Lord." Varys raised his eyebrows at Cersei's interruption, tilting his head a bit to the side as she continued. "My brother is now a Lord."

"Yes. How foolish of me. Old habits truly are not easy to break. Don't you agree, Your Grace?"

Cersei did not have the time to offer Varys an answer before a knock sounded against her door. She waved her hand at Varys, a silent order for him to open it. He gave a slight bow before walking the short distance to open the door. Cersei began to pace but stopped short when she saw who had been the one to call upon her. Lord Tywin did not offer his daughter a greeting as he caught a glimpse of what remained of a vase on the floor.

"Can you not clean up this mess, Cersei." The Queen Regent could almost hear the smirk on Varys' face at the choice of Tywin's words.

"And what mess could you be referring to, Father? The mess on my floor? Or the mess in Winterfell? Surely you do not mean the mess here in the city."

"Do not get smart with me, girl. I have been patient and lenient with you. Too much so." Tywin nudged at the shards of vase with one of his boots. "Each of those messes has been brought on by you." He nodded at the floor. "Everywhere you tread only chaos and disaster follow closely. Your brother is once again held captive by our enemy as a result of your actions."

"My actions, Father? It was not me who married Jaime off to that whore!"

"Enough. I made decisions that would ensure our name lived on. That whore is the reason that the Lannister name will live on long after I am dead. The two sons that she gave Jaime carry our name, and their sons and grandsons will also be Lannisters." Tywin noticed the dark look passing over his only daughter's eyes. He could only assume that she had not heard of the news that Melara had given birth to twin sons. Tywin continued aloud, more to himself than to Cersei. "But none of that will matter until Jaime and his sons are free from Stannis Baratheon and Robb Stark."

"It seems to me that they hold all the cards, Father. They have Jaime, your precious grandsons, and their combined forces surely rival our own." Cersei allowed a small laugh to pass through her lips. "The only thing they seem to be missing are the dragons that Daenerys Targaryen is said to have."

"There are no more dragons. I thought you smarter than to believe the tales of peasants desperate to be free of your rule." Cersei sobered at her father's harsh words. "But you are correct when you say that they hold the cards. The moment the two of them combine their forces was the moment our deaths were sealed."

"Gone are the days when our enemies hated each other as much as they hated us." Tywin gave a small nod in agreement to Cersei's words. She took a few steps slower to her father, keeping her bleeding hand balled tightly in her skirts to hide what she had done in her moment of madness. "Can we not achieve that again, Father?"

"They cannot see the hatred they had for each other now that their hatred for us has become so intense." Cersei remained silent for a moment, taking in the sight of her father. She could see the way that this war had aged him, the weariness in his eyes. Cersei knew that every word Tywin had spoken was the truth, but she would never admit that anything that had gone wrong was because of her actions. She would rather die than make that admission.

"Father, is there no way to make them realize their hate once more? If we could turn them against each other it would weaken their ranks and give us time to grow ours once more." Tywin regarded his daughter a moment, taking in her disheveled appearance, the wild look in her eyes. He knew that the past months had awakened inside of her a desperation that he had seen before. But the last that he had seen this madness, was from a King that he was sworn to serve. He thought over her words and knew them to be true. Separating the Northmen from Stannis' army needed to be their next assault if the Lannisters had hope of gaining the upper hand.

"I would have been proud if you would have been born a son." Tywin turned and left Cersei amongst the broken shards of glass, the mess she had created. The sound of her hurried footsteps could be heard behind him as he pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway. He continued into the hallway and did not stop until he heard Cersei call to him. He turned his head slightly to see that she stood out in the hallway just in front of her door.

"Father. What do you plan to do?"

"It seems I must separate Stannis Baratheon and Robb Stark if we are to maintain the Throne." He offered no more words and he made his way back to his rooms. The first task he had to complete saw him sitting before his desk, the parchment laid out before him.

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Catelyn had stayed with by Melara's side the day following Stannis' abduction of the girl's first born son. Both Melara and Joseth were quiet, worrying Catelyn more than Melara's tears would. The young girl had yet to speak or sleep, she simply sat in bed for hours unti her bladder needed to be relieved. Even during those times, Melara refused to let Joseth from her arms. Catelyn said nothing to Melara, knowing that words could not soothe the ache that sweet young girl was feeling. Lady Stark had felt that same ache first when Bran had fallen and would not wake. From there, each time she heard of her family's deaths it only made the pain worse.

Melara watched from her bed as tears once again rolled down from Catelyn's eyes as the elder women drifted into sleep. It was almost a comfort to see the strong woman reduced to silent tears. It allowed Melara to see just what she had never noticed before. _Catelyn is my future. I will never find happiness no matter what lengths I try to go to achieve it. The Gods have chosen who to bless and who to curse. _Melara looked back to the small boy in her arms, his blue eyes staring back at her with the trust that a newborn carries for its mother. _I am cursed and my curse will pass to all I touch. _Melara thought of Jaime and how the path he had chosen to be with her had cursed him as well. _Jaime had what all men wanted. He had money, prestige…love._

She remembered Cersei and the love that Jaime had surely carried for his sister. The thought still made the girl ill, making Melara understand that her past, or his, would never go away. They would always be hunted, if not by men then by was almost a welcoming distraction to be thinking of something besides Ryam's screams as Stannis took him. _Cersei has lost her children as well. Even a woman such as her, one that is thought of as cunning, could not outsmart the path the Gods have chosen for her children. And yet, she controls a throne while here I sit. Alone. _

Melara was pulled from her thoughts as Joseth's tiny hand reached towards her face. She felt his soft skin on her chin, making her want to cry and smile all in one.

"But I'm not alone."

Melara tightened her grip on the one part of her family that Stannis had yet to take from her. It seemed that no matter what she did, no matter who she would try to please, it would always end with her in tears locked away in a room. _I never saw Cersei reduced to tears…or locked in a room._ Melara gave her head a tiny shake, as if doing so would rid the thoughts of the Queen Regent from her mind. _If only I could have been like her from a young age. I would be married off to a Lord and been safe away in a Keep. _Melara let out a small snort of laughter directed towards her thoughts. _I do believe I am married to a Lord. _She thought of Jaime once more, locked away in chains. _The last he was in chains it was because of trickery and me that he was set free. _Melara felt a spark in her mind, a rush of the blood in her veins.

"Of course…it is so similar to then." Melara let her head fall back and closed her eyes. She tried to think back and remember the events that led up to Jaime being freed from Robb's camp those many months ago. It had all been planned by Petyr Baelish, but the pieces had fallen into place. Melara had been sent to the camp after the marriage had been decreed. She had caused too much of a distraction for Robb and Catelyn had made the decision to send her away. _Robb and Catelyn are here now. _Melara felt her heart beating hard against her ribs as her mind worked as great speed to develop a plan.

Just as quickly as a spark of life jumped back into Melara, the light began to fade as a cloud of doubt fell upon her. _What sort of insanity have I fallen into? How could I ever think that I could overcome an army to free Jaime and Ryam, and then ride away to freedom?_ The babe shifted in her arms, causing Melara to bring her head back upright. Her eyes opened and once again took in the sight of her helpless son. _I will do it for them. Jaime, Ryam, Joseth. I will do whatever it takes. Uncle Robert started a war when someone he loved was taken. I do not have a hammer or an army, but perhaps I have something better. _

Melara looked back to see if Catelyn had truly fallen asleep before she stood from her bed slowly, as her body was still healing. The young woman situated Joseth against her chest in a sling, freeing her hands to write once she found a bit of parchment. It was just a small scrap left on the table, but it was enough to complete the task she had in mind.

_Not all wars are won with swords and hammers._

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Stannis awoke to the sounds of the infant's screams once again. Since he had taken the child, it seemed that the boy would do nothing but scream. Ryam refused any wet nurse he was offered and would only sleep for a few moments before the screams began anew. Stannis had drifted to sleep in a chair after sending the infant away with the last wet nurse Winterfell had to offer. By the pounding at the door and the screams that hit his ears, Stannis knew that the boy still had yet to drink. Stannis tightened his fingers around the arms of the chair, feeling as the wood dug into his palms, before standing. He stood tall as he bade the knocking woman entrance. The screams grew in volume once the door opened to reveal a young girl, perhaps even the same age as Melara, holding the screaming babe. Her dirty blond hair was short and unkempt, and her frame looked much too small to recently have borne a child.

"Forgive me, Milord. The babe won't suckle on anyone but his mother. He needs—"

"I will be the one to decide what he needs. Leave him. Then get out." Stannis' teeth clenched as the girl hurried to bring Ryam towards Stannis. She held the wailing child up to him, and he reluctantly accepted the bundle. The girl earned a harsh look from Stannis as his dismissal and she gave a small curtsey before leaving. The door closed loudly behind her but all Stannis could hear was the cries of his grandson. Stannis knew the child would not live if he continued in the manner he had since leaving Melara. "You are as stubborn as your namesake demands."

Stannis did not know if he was speaking of himself or the child in his arms. His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke but through the screams, Ryam heard the calming tone. The babe's screams seemed to lessen for a moment before once again increasing. Stannis nearly threw the child but his actions were stopped as he thought of the reason he had taken the boy.

"You've got your mother's inability to act properly, to do what is required of you. You'll be King one day, a true King, and I won't have you making me look a fool." Ryam's eyes tried to focus on where the voice was coming from, the tone deeper than the women who had been handling him throughout the day. Stannis sat back in the chair he has been previously occupying. "You already are though. Refusing every tit you've been offered." Ryam's cries began to fade and his eyes seemed to drift shut. Stannis did not notice, as his eyes locked on the dancing flames in the fireplace at his feet. He continue to speak, as if put into a trance by the fire. "All that remains to conquer is King's Landing. Only when the Lannisters lay in their own blood at my feet will I truly be unopposed."

Stannis allowed his eyes to drift close, but the moment he felt sleep overtaking him Ryam began his wail once more.

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Catelyn awoke to a gentle shaking of her shoulders. In her confusion she did not immediately recognize the girl before her. Lady Stark had been consumer with dreams of the past, of Ned and her children. It had been a wonderful dream, but in her wakefulness it had become a thing of torture. She blinked a few times and sat up a bit straighter in her chair to show that she was awake.

"Catelyn, I need you to do something for me. Please." Catelyn was surprised to see Melara out of bed, let alone hear her speak in such a calm tone. It was an eerie sort of calm, the type that is heard from men before they leave for war. Lady Stark stood and Melara took this as a sign to continue. "There are a few items that I need. I fear that if I leave this room…" She trailed off and a heavy silence fell over the women for a moment. Catelyn understood what the young girl was implying and finally spoke in response.

"I will get what you need." Melara held out a scrap of parchment towards Catelyn, to which the elder woman accepted. "I will also ask…of Ryam." Melara froze for a moment before willing her body to relax. The young girl felt as her lips curved into a smile that only she knew was anything by sincere.

"I am sure that my father fairs well with him." She gave a small pause, reaching her hand out to grasp Catelyn's forearms lightly. "It really is better this way. My son will want for nothing…he will be King one day." Although the words sounded sincere, Catelyn could not believe the things the young girl had just said.

"Listen to what you are saying! How can you just allow Stannis to steal you son from your arms?" Catelyn tightened her hands into fists, the small parchment being crumpled in the process. "You are just in pain and your mind is not right. Do not give up, Melara. You will have Ryam returned to you." Melara's smile fell slightly as her emotions threatened to break her resolve. She bit her lip to stop the sob that sat on her tongue ready to spill at any moment. Melara didn't dare make a sound or move, knowing that it would reveal everything and ruin her plans for escape. Catelyn lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned close to Melara's ear to speak for only the girl to hear. "I do not know what you are plotting and I do not want to know. I will aide where I can, but I cannot be too close or I will be thought of as the one to free you." Catelyn pulled away and finally saw that Melara's smile had faltered. The girl stood with her mouth slightly opened, wondering how Catelyn had discovered her act in just a few moments. Catelyn's voice was still a whisper when she spoke again. "I raised you from a girl. I know when you are not being true. It is in your favor that Stannis does not know you like I do."

Melara let out a shaky breath as Catelyn knocked at the door and bid the guard to allow her leave. Melara caught a glimpse of the guard at her door and was glad to see that he was the only one posted at her door. She prayed to the Gods that when the time was right, she be granted courage, strength and luck.

_Gods help me save my family._

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Gendry was relieved when they could finally see Winterfell in the distance. It had been a long journey, both of healing and travel. Brienne had been silent for most of their travels alone, and Gendry realized that he missed Melara's silly chatter. It was the same feeling he had when he thought of Arya, the feeling a brother has for a sister. He had thought that it had been love or lust with Melara in the beginning, but as her pregnancy developed and the danger increased it was more of a protectiveness that he felt. It was a nice feeling for Gendry, to feel as if someone needed him.

"We must arrive in Winterfell before the sun falls. The archers will not hesitate to shoot us." Brienne did not wait for Gendry's response as she urged her horse faster. Gendry's own mount took off into a gallop so as not to be left behind. The air was cold and biting against the man's face as the pair raced towards their destination.

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	23. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Thank you for the continued support and kind words! This chapter kind of kicked my butt, to be honest. But I feel that it came out pretty much how I wanted it to.

Enjoy!

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It was quite the sight that greeted Gendry when he was permitted entrance into Melara's dimly lit room. From her position on the bed it was difficult to see the bundle she held in her arms, but it was a relief to know that both Melara and the babe were alive. After he had been physically healed, his mind was plagued with visions of Melara being killed or worse. The young man had those same visions of the youngest female Stark as well, but he knew that Arya was more than capable of fending for herself. In the case of Melara, Gendry could not see the gentle girl able to survive within the enemy's walls.

It was a welcomed surprise for him to see the sigils of both Stark and Baratheon flying high in Winterfell. Gendry and Brienne had not met resistance from the guards, only questions. It was easy to feel the tension in the air between the two armies, and the level of trust between men was close to none. But once in Melara's room and seeing the girl give him the smallest of smiles, to Gendry the tension from the halls eased. As he silently walked towards her, Melara struggled to stand in greeting.

"You can sit. It's just me and you here anyways." Although he had spoken softly, Gendry's voice seemed to boom across the silent room. The noise startled the babe in Melara's arms, and Joseth gave a few snorts before letting out a loud whine. The young mother quickly made work of quieting her son. "Well, I guess the little one is here, too." The young man was confused when Melara began to silently sob, not certain of what had cause the tears. He put his hands up and halted his advance towards Melara. "What…did I say?"

Melara tried with all her strength to compose herself, knowing that if her plans were to succeed she would need to play her part at all times. She shifted Joseth into one arm and wiped away her tears with the back of her free hand. After a calming breath she looked up to Gendry and gave him a large smile, starting the young man at her sudden change in demeanor.

"Oh, Gendry, forgive me. I am just happy to see that you are alive and well." It was not a complete lie, yet the words felt rotten falling from her tongue. Melara had seen the genuine concern in Gendry's eyes, making her remember how he had been the one to help her most during her stay at Castle Black. For a moment she had considered telling him everything of her plan, but it would have created a way for her plans to fall through. _I cannot have that. My children…my husband…they need me to save them._ Melara motioned for Gendry to the chair nearest the bed, the same one that Catelyn had left vacant mere hours before. When he was seated, Melara began to tell him what had happened since they had been parted. She spoke of Winterfell's return to the Stark's possession, she spoke of what she could recall of the birth of her sons, she spoke of Jaime now locked away in the dungeon and she spoke of Ryam being taken by Stannis, tears rolling from her eyes when she spoke her absent son's name.

Gendry sat in silence while listening to the events that had happened in such a short amount of time. He had noticed that while Melara told him of the happenings, she had not once added any of her own opinions on the matters. She once again wiped away the trail of tears from her cheeks, turning her red and puffy eyes to meet the similar shade of Gendry's. He took this silent sign as her being finished with telling her tale.

"Why did Stannis let you keep Joseth?" His question caught Melara off guard, mostly because she had not considered it herself. She had been constantly cursing her father's name since he had slammed the door in her face, not questioning his motives.

"I do not know. But he is King and he may do as he wishes."

"Dunno. It just seems odd that he wouldn't kill the littlest Lannister. He would be the type to kill babies that belong to his enemy's family." Melara gripped Joseth tighter, images flashing through her mind of Stannis killing her smaller son, and then killing Jaime as she was forced to watch. She shook her head to rid the terrible vision, feeling as if she was going to be ill at the thought. _I would throw my life down before I allowed that to happen._ Gendry saw Melara's body tense at his words, and he watched as she shook her head as if it would make Gendry's words disappear. "I'm sorry…I just meant…"

"I need to see my father. Immediately." Melara stood as quickly as she could manage, adjusting her babe once she was steady on her feet. "Gendry, please take me to him, or near him, or at least into the hall." The young man nodded, unsettled by the strange girl that Melara had become but wanted to help her in what ways he could. Gendry followed her to the door, moving slightly around her so that he could open it for her. Melara could feel her heart pounding in her chest and she sent a silent prayer to the Gods for their aide. Once Gendry opened the door, Melara and he trailed into the hallway. She was surprised, but grateful, that there was only one guard posted.

"She wants to be taken to her father, King Stannis." The guard, wearing the sigil of the stag surrounded by fire, stared at the two before him. The large guard could have easily defeated Gendry in combat, his face weathered from years of battle and his brown hair and eyes showing signs of his old age. It seemed to Melara that the guard was older than most she had seen, and when he slowly nodded and started to lead them away from her room she questioned if he simply had no fight left in him. _Does this man just not have the will to fight? Or was he given orders to allow me to move about the castle?_ Melara kept her eyes down as she was led through the familiar halls, not willing to look into the eyes of the people that they passed.

Gendry had taken up a post behind her, walking at a pace so that he could have a better view if Melara was going to be attacked. He noticed that most of the men ignored her, but nearly every woman he passed of child-bearing age looked upon her in what he could only describe as pity. The further away from Melara's room they walked, the less people they saw roaming the halls. As the guard turned down a seemingly deserted hallway, Gendry could hear the faint sound of a babe crying and Melara's sharp intake of breath.

Hearing the cries of Ryam awaked the protectiveness within Melara, making her forget how painful her body felt. She increased her pace, no longer following the guard but leading the three of them, intent of seeing Ryam again. The two guards standing outside of Stannis' door drew their swords when they saw Melara rushing towards them.

"Please! I just want to speak with my father! I swear that I am here with good intentions!" The guards ignored her words and continued to stare at her as if she had not spoken. Her heart continued to pound and her breaths starting coming in pants at hearing the loud cries of Ryam so close to her. "Father! Father, please! Receive me!" Melara raised her voice in hopes that her father would hear her pleas and grant her entry. When she was within arms-reach of the door, one of the guards put one of his hands onto Melara's should to stop her. She did not resist him, but continued to call out to her father. Gendry came to stand behind her, pulling her back gently before one of the guards became rough with her. The door was suddenly thrust open and a disheveled Stannis stood in the door with a wailing Ryam in his arms. Melara let a noise, mixed between a laugh and a sob, fall from her lips at her father's state.

"Let the girl in." Stannis said no more as he turned back into the room, the guards immediately moving to the side to allow Melara entrance. When Gendry tried to follow both guards restrained him, but when Melara looked back at him over her shoulder and gave him a nod, the young man back away on his own will. He walked backwards until he felt the stone wall at his back and planted his feet as stone, vowing to wait until the girl walked out of her father's room.

Melara turned her attention back to the man before her, hearing the door being shut behind her. Stannis strode up to her, nearly making her cower at his intensity, and offered Ryam to her. The babe's face was red, a sign that he had been screaming for a while, but she still recognized her eldest son. She immediately left Stannis and sat in a chair near the fireplace, completely ignoring her father for a moment to care for her, no doubt, hungry son. Melara was able to lay Joseth in her lap while she held Ryam in her arms. When she offered her breast, Ryam quieted and started to suckle.

"He refused every wet nurse offered to him. Stubborn thing, like you."

"I am sorry that he was such trouble, Father."

"Why have you come, girl? If it is to plea for the babe to be returned to you, I will not hear it." Melara stayed quiet for a moment, drawing out the silence between them until she could formulate the right words to say. Stannis grew impatient and moved to the desk in his room, watching Melara from the corner of his eye. The happiness he saw on her face made Stannis feel that same way he felt when he thought of Renly. It was a strange sensation that he had no care to discover the meaning of. "Well?"

"Forgive me, Father, but I am here to plea for Ryam…or Steffon as you have now named him." Melara kept her voice quiet, docile, knowing that she needed to play her part well. _This is the moment that will determine if my plan will work._ Melara continued to loon upon her sons, watching as Joseth's eyes drifted closed and Ryam greedily sucked as much milk from her breast as he could. "Please, hear me, Father. Please…forgive me. I have been a disgrace to you…to our name." Melara looked in the direction that he father stood but saw that it was his back that faced her. "I will do whatever you ask if only you allow me to be with my son." Stannis turned to look at her, locking their gazes and seeing the desperation in her eyes.

"I have claimed him as my own son and heir. Did you really think that begging for forgiveness and _asking nicely_ would make me change my decree?"

"No, Father. I know that…I do. I only meant that you allow me to nurse him, to stay with him, until he is of an age to be separated. He is just so young, Father. I will raise him alongside Joseth, wherever you would like. You are my Father and my King, and I am ready to obey."

Stannis turned and regarded his daughter before him, looking for any signs of deceit. Being as Stannis had been absent for the majority of Melara's life, he truly had no way to determine if she spoke words of truth.

"Why is it that you suddenly come willingly?"

"Father, when you took him from me, I realized that I would do anything for my sons, even if that meant making sacrifices. Please, believe me. What can I say…what can I do to make you agree?" Melara was grateful that most of the words she spoke held some truth, making it more believable to her Father. While she had no intention of allowing her father to take Ryam, deceiving Stannis this way would give her the chance she needed to escape with both her sons and her husband.

"Would you turn against your _husband?_ Would you betray the people that raised you, that saved you countless times?" Stannis did not trust his daughter, he never would, but with the babe refusing any tit but Melara's it did raise a challenge. The self-proclaimed king knew that the babe would cause a distraction from the War, and if he agreed to what Melara offered it would be a solution. But he would not agree until he would completely benefit from the arrangement.

"If I must." Melara turned to look at her babes once more. "I will do what I must…for them."

"Before I agree, you must prove your newfound loyalty to me. Tell me, the last time that Jaime Lannister was captured by Robb Stark, he escaped. How."

Melara was glad that her hair had fallen from behind her ear and that her face was now shielded from her father. It hid the smirk that fell on her lips as Melara realized that Stannis was falling for her deception. _And soon, I will run from this place with Jaime and both of our sons._ Melara changed her face to look as if it was difficult to spin the web of lies she was about to divulge to her father.

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The sound of footsteps approaching echoed along the stone walls, rousing Jaime from the delirium he found himself drifting into. Since he had been chained in the dungeon he had been left in solitude and darkness. He found himself grateful of the dark, unable to know just how many days had passed and how many horrors Melara had witnessed in his absence. He knew that he should be grateful that he had not been visited by any guards meant to punish him for his crimes with beatings, but even then he would have been able to move his arms and legs. The dank air in the dungeon no longer made a chill run through his body, the numbness no longer physically painful. Jaime knew he should be grateful for the lack of pain as well, but the pain that lingered in his heart was not strong enough to keep his mind sharp.

With the lack of contact from his captors, meant the lack of nourishment as well. He would thank the Gods for the small drip of water that fell from the ceiling and kept enough liquid in his body to keep him alive, but not enough to keep him aware. But Jaime had long given up on the Gods that other praised, and instead offered his prayers to the sword he would carry in his hand. He willed his hands to clench but the lack of blood flowing to his arms, that were still chained above his head, prevented him from feeling if his fingers had even moved.

The echoes of the footsteps became louder and the sound of muffled voices could be heard. Jaime lifted his head and tried in vain to adjust his body before the unknown pair of men just beyond the door decided to enter. _Finally the pain I have been expecting has arrived._ The voices quieted in front of the heavy door as one of the new arrivals fumbled with the keys. Jaime closed his eyes as the door was opened and the torch filled the darkness with a soft glow of light.

"Kingslayer." Jaime did not need to open his eyes to see who had entered, even in his delirious state he would recognize the voice. He lifted the corner of his mouth in what he hoped came across as a smirk before moistening his lips in order to speak. When he managed to let the words fall, his voice was barely a whisper.

"Back to 'Kingslayer' are we, Wench?" Jaime, with his eyes stilled closed, pictured the look on Brienne's face as she now stood before him. If her would have been strong enough to laugh he would have, knowing the Maid of Tarth would be her somber, man-like self that she had been the last time he saw her. _The last I saw her, she was riding away at Melara's side. _Under normal circumstances, Jaime would have had the ability to control the anger that boiled towards Brienne at that moment. As it were, Jaime was _not_ currently in any mental state to control any of his emotions. He opened his eyes, ignoring the burn he felt, and met Brienne's gaze expecting to find a blank wall. It may have been the state that Jaime was in, but it seemed as if he could see emotions within Brienne's lovely blue eyes. He tried to scream at her, but Jaime had not the strength to make any more sounds.

Brienne motioned to the guard at her side, a young brown haired man that was at least a foot shorter than her, to unchain Jaime's arms. He did not hesitate and moved to the Kingslayer's shackles without a word from the Maid. Jaime's arms fell to his sides once freed, causing him to grit his teeth against the pain. The three of them remained in the cell for a few moments, the sounds of Jaime's labored breathing filling their ears. When it seemed as if Jaime had fallen asleep Brienne ordered the boy who had arrived with her to leave. He did so without protest, wanted to be away from the Maid and back to his post.

Jaime cracked one of his eyes open, sensing the nearness of Brienne, and saw that she had moved to kneel next to his body. He did not feel as she put her hands on his arms, but Jaime did feel when she started to lift him. Brienne halted her movements when she heard Jaime's sharp intake of breath, signaling his pain. She removed her grip and instead reached to the small skin of water she had attached to her belt. She awkwardly shifted her body in order to support Jaime and give him small amounts of water.

Brienne looked away as Jaime sat helplessly in her arms, more helpless than when he had been tied to a pole in Robb's camp. For Brienne, it was difficult to see the warrior of legend before her be reduced to the state that Jaime was in now. An image of Renly dying in her arms gathered in Brienne's mind, forcing her to clench her eyes shut to be rid of the vision.

"You are here." Jaime's course voice brought Brienne's attention back to him, with the Maid turning to face him once more. Although it was formed as a statement it was simple to see the question behind Jaime's words. Brienne slowly laid Jaime back against the stone wall, knowing that he could not be moved from the cell while Jaime could not feel the majority of his body.

"You'll need to keep still until you are able to move." Jaime raised his eyebrow in response to Brienne's daft words but make no movement or sound. She sat on the cold ground near Jaime leaning her back against the stone, mirroring his position and continuing to speak. "Stannis has taken your son as his own. He left the smaller one with Melara. They are well." Brienne paused for a moment to let Jaime's mind process what she had just spoken. When he made no response, she continued with a hushed tone. "I have never been a leader, I have only followed. Robb Stark, Lady Catelyn…Renly… Even before that time I was given orders and I followed them. If I had followed your orders and delivered Melara to Casterly Rock we would not be here." Jaime was surprised at Brienne's admission, never expecting the Maid to admit such words to him. After a moment of silence, Brienne continued, "You are now my charge, under orders given by Stannis. Lady Stark did not know what drove Stannis to make the orders, but suspected that Melara played a part in it all." Jaime let out a soft snort at the image of his wife having the ability to sway Stannis in any way. Brienne paused to allow Jaime to speak, but when the silence passed between them for a while, she carried on in her hushed voice. "You've manager to kill a King then walk free with your life. The whispers still reach my ears that it was by my hand that Renly was slain. We are both seen as a Kingslayer within these walls, surrounded by these men. Once you can wield a sword…we are going to earn that title once more."

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	24. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Well, here we are. A bit longer than the last few have been, hopefully it makes up for the wait! Thank you for the reviews for last chapter! And a thank you for those that have recently discovered my stories and have just joined the ride! I've got a bit of steam going again for this story. Reviews are like the fan to my flame. So please feel free to leave some. Reviews, not flames please :)

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It was an odd sort of companionship that Stannis found himself sharing with his eldest daughter throughout the days following her…confessions. Every morning she would be escorted to his rooms, carrying a babe on her chest and one on her back, and Melara would simply sit and care for her sons. Stannis was rarely in his rooms, with the War far from over, but when he would take his meals with his eldest daughter it would be in silence. Melara truly did seem as if she would give up her own freedom and betray her previous companions in favor of being reunited with her son, always giving Stannis a smile if he would glance her way. While he had craved nothing but obedience from Melara since her birth, now that she was acting the way he wanted it left an odd feeling in his mind. When the door opened on the fourth day to reveal his smiling daughter, the feeling seemed to intensify.

"Good morning, Father." Melara gave a proper curtsy before she moved to her favored spot on the floor. The thick furs had been piled there on her second day as her father's hostage. _How many more days will we play this game?_ Melara did not expect a response from Stannis, as their conversations had not lasted more than a few words since she had begged for her son, but when he called to her it sent a jolt of fear through her body. _What if he has discovered my plan? Gods keep me strong. _Melara remained kneeling on the furs as she unstrapped Ryam from her chest and laid him down, but turned to face her father.

"Melara. You…A request has been made for an audience with you." Melara simply nodded her head and made to put Ryam against her breast when Stannis spoke again. "Leave the babes. Both of them." Stannis moved to stand by Melara's kneeling form and started to release Joseth from her back, his war-hardened fingers surprisingly gentle with the smaller of the two boys. "We will not be gone long."

Stannis gave Joseth to Melara and she set the brothers close together on the furs, worried what Stannis would do to her next. Stannis extended his hand to provide his daughter assistance in rising, but Melara just stared in silence at his extended hand. Her eyes traveled to meet Stannis's gaze, finding it to be the same cool look he always wore. _Is this man really my father?_ Melara slowly brought her hand up and allowed her father to help her to her feet. Once she was steady Stannis released her hand and made his way to the door, Melara obediently following behind him. As they exited his room, Stannis gave an order to the guards posted there, "No one but Lady Melara or I is to enter this room." Stannis began to walk away from his room with Melara still trailing behind him, and while she looked docile to anyone they passed on their journey through the halls, inside of her mind Melara was thinking of all the things she would scream at her father if given the chance.

They only walked down a few hallways, before stopping before another heavily guarded door. Stannis extended his arm to Melara, causing her to hesitate and question once more if this was truly her father. She gently placed her hand onto Stannis's forearm just as he nodded at one of the guards to open the door. Stannis led Melara into the darkened, seemingly empty, room. Melara continued to hold her breath, her eyes darting around looking for any movement. When her father's voice broke through the silence, Melara's heart nearly jumped through her chest.

"You can come out."

As Melara's eyes adjusted to the dim light, the form of a small girl began to take shape from behind a large chair. As the girl slowly came closer, Melara was shocked to see the left side of the girl's face was covered in blacken and grey skin. Melara's hand slipped from her father's arm just as the little girl spoke.

"Hello."

"There is not much time, child. I'll be back shortly." Stannis forced himself to look away, not wanting to see his daughters together. It angered him to think of the shame both of his children brought him, and it angered him more to think of the family that they could have been. After the door had been shut silence followed Stannis's exit as the girls stared at each other. Melara slowly knelt down on the cold, unforgiving ground, staring into deep blue eyes that matched her own. When she spoke, Melara voice came out as a breathless whisper.

"I have not seen you since you were a babe in mother's arms. Is it really you, Shireen?"

"Why didn't you ever come to see me? Father said you were at Castle Black, too, when we were there." Melara put her hands on Shireen's small shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze.

"Oh, Sweet Sister, forgive me. I had not heard word of you since I left King's Landing when I was just around your age. I had heard…" Melara brought her hand up and brushed the hair away from Shireen's blackened cheek. "Many don't survive this, you know. You are very strong." The young girl did not respond for a moment, making Melara believe that she had offended her young sister. Melara did not understand what Stannis was planning by bringing her to see Shireen. He had been acting strangely this morning and it only left Melara with an unsettling feeling in her stomach. "Have you been in Winterfell long?"

"No, we arrived late last night. I was asleep and was carried to my room. I thought it was the Onion Knight, but he hasn't come to visit me yet."

"Perhaps it was Father who brought you up here." Shireen's face lit up at the thought of Stannis carrying her up to her room. Melara knew that look all too well. It was the same look she saw on the faces of the Stark children when they had been praised by Lord Stark. It was the same look she saw on Jaime's face when he had made her laugh or smile. It was the same look she saw on Gendry's face when he said he would next forget her or Arya.

"Once Father is King, we won't have to move so much. It has been exciting, going from Dragonstone to Castle Black. Winterfell has been my favorite, though."

"But you have only arrived here last night, and you have not even seen all that Winterfell has to show you."

"It is my favorite because you finally came to see me." Melara blinked back the tears that sprung to her eyes, praying to the Gods that this sweet girl was not a ploy to trick her. It hurt Melara to not even trust her young sister, but knowing that trusting anyone anymore would lead her to trouble. "And you are beautiful just like Father said. I asked him and he said you were. Father doesn't lie to me, you know."

"Well, if I am beautiful, then you are too." Shireen pulled away a bit, the words stinging the young girl. Melara saw the reaction and pulled Shireen closer, embracing the girl tightly against her chest. "Because your eyes are the same as mine. And you and I have the same mother and same father. I cannot be called beautiful if you are not." Melara wondered if she had remained in the care of her parents, if she would be like Shireen. _It is not her looks that will haunt me. It is the loneliness I can see in her eyes, the sadness I can hear in her words. _ She felt Shireen give the slightest of hugs back before she pulled away.

"Father said you were kind."

"And has Father said anything about me besides that I am kind and beautiful?"

"He used to tell me stories about you when I was younger. He said if I behaved and listened to Maester Cressen and learned my lesson I would grow to be a beautiful Lady like my sister."

Melara set a smile on her face, one of the false smiles that were becoming easier to wear each passing moment, and felt an over whelming sense of pity for Shireen. Melara would never imagine Stannis saying those things to Shireen, and if he did they were smooth lies. She knew what Stannis's opinion of her was now, and thought that it couldn't have changed in the course of a few years. _But then, I was in Winterfell and I was a proper Lady._ Melara tried to rid the doubt in her mind, finding her resolve to throw the hopeful feelings of a family who loved her deep down. She could not continue to try and earn love from a family who had abandoned her, and instead needed to focus on the family that would be waiting for her and willingly would give her their love. _Jaime. Ryam. Joseth._

"And did you do as Father said?"

"We must always do what Father says. He isn't just our Father now, he's our King, too." Melara nodded her head in agreement, only allowing her silent thoughts to express her true feelings. _Always listen to the great Stannis Baratheon. Except forwhen he tears you from your husband and child, brands you a traitor to his cause, and then demands you to betray your only remaining allies._ Melara stood and continued to stare down into Shireen's innocent blue eyes. The same innocent eyes that Melara had at that age.

"Yes, Sweet Sister." The door behind her opened and Stannis entered once more, looking past Melara and directly at Shireen. The elder sister turned to face Stannis, her words directed more towards him than Shireen. "We must always do what Father says."

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"You expect me to believe that Stannis Baratheon decided that I should be freed from my cell? That he has had a change of heart, hmm?"

"I didn't ask _why_. I just acted on the orders I was given." Brienne paused for a moment as she watched Jaime devour another mouthful of meat. "A little gratitude for rescuing you from the dungeon would be the proper thing to do." Jaime took a deep drink from his cup, feeling the Maid's piercing gaze watching him.

"Well, Lady Brienne, I will just have to thank Stannis the next time I pass him by." It did unnerve Jaime to hear that Stannis had given the order, but he was smart enough to know that it was not without reason. It had been a quick three day recovery for Jaime, the flame of knowing that his wife and sons were so close being his motivation. Jaime shifted a bit in his chair, leaning his shoulder closer to where Brienne was seated across from him. His voice took on a more serious tone as he spoke of Melara. "Is Melara still with him?" Brienne gave a small nod of her head.

"Gendry has watched for three days. Each morning she is collected and brought to her father's room, and each night she is brought back to her own. Both babes strapped to her."

"And what does _Gendry_ say that my wife does in her father's room."

"She's under heavy guard. No one but Stannis enters that room. We cannot get to her when she is there. It must be when she is in her own rooms."

"Yes, she'll need to be in her own rooms so that she is not implicated in…" Jaime made a gesture with his hand, silently sliding his thumb across his throat in reference to their plan of murder. "Well…you know." After the first day of being locked away in a room instead of a cell, Jaime's mind had mostly returned to him. He had gained feeling in his limbs with minimal incident, and had taken a bath, much to Brienne's insistence. Each of the three nights, Jaime and Brienne had not spoken on their plans but instead wrote them down before instantly throwing the parchment into the flames. Jaime's hands have been itching for a fight since he had been able to move them, but Brienne had made him remain patient.

The Maid had been vague about her plans, simply stating they had to accomplish three things. Free Melara. Escape with Melara. Kill Stannis. Jaime had scoffed at her when she told him their last objective. He had been amazed at the change in Brienne since their first journey together. At that time, she had been all honor and duty. But now…it seemed as if time had made them all change.

"Can we _please_ not discuss that."

"Will you _please_ get more food. I'll need my strength."

"If you had as much sense as you did strength you would not have been captured. Again. By the Northmen."

"If you had brought Melara to Casterly Rock_, like I_ _had asked you_, then we would not be sitting in this shitty ice hole, once again, fighting for our freedom."

Jaime and Brienne both stood, palms laid flat against the table before them, eyes locked in a heated gaze. The pair had been locked together in a bare room, with a small table, two chairs and two small piles of fur to sleep on, for the past three days. The constant companionship they had been forced in to was not something that either of them wanted, and the warrior that lay inside both of them was begging for a fight. Jaime knew he was not ready for a physical fight as of yet, but he still could verbally spar with the Maid to keep his boredom at bay. Brienne's fingers dug into the table, her teeth clench a bit as she spoke in a harsh whisper.

"It. Was. Melara. She made the decision after you did NOT follow us away from King's Landing."

Jaime slowly sat back into his chair, his eyes sweeping the room just as slowly. It was not the first time that he had felt regret at one of his decisions, but finally he was allowing himself to hang on to that regret. To let it drive him forward, to learn. But he would never share that with the Maid of Tarth.

"Yes…Yes, I do suppose you're right. But, there really isn't anything we can do to change that." Brienne removed her hands from the table, clenching her fists to resist from striking out at Jaime. "Unfotunately, being the Lannister that I am, I have to remember any slight against me. How else would we repay our debts if we didn't remember them?" Jaime pulled a scrap of parchment closer and began to write out the next part of their revenge, escape and murder plots.

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Robb watched his mother pacing across the length of his usually occupied meeting room. It was still early but Robb and his mother did not get much sleep with the ghosts of their past running through Winterfell. He did not speak of it to his mother, about the nightmares, but he knew that she had them as well.

"What do you think she does in his rooms? Gods above that girl does get herself into the _worst_ predicaments." Robb had been listening to Catelyn rant about Melara this morning, but the words fell from his mind as soon as they entered. He had no business thinking of the girl he used to love, he had a War that still needed to be won. "She does not understand that trying to…to…" Catelyn trailed off, her eyes staring into nothingness.

A heavy silence fell between mother and son, both of them becoming lost in memories of better times. Catelyn took slow steps across the large room, coming to sit on the bench next to Robb at the long, wooden table. She wanted to coddle him, wanted to hold him close against her breast as she had done years ago. Seeing Jon Snow and bringing Melara's sons into the world had made the ache that Catelyn had for her lost children grow.

"I think she understands perfectly what she is trying to do. Melara is a mother now, and she'll do anything for her sons. You freed the Kingslayer, she will bow to Stannis."

"Robb, when you are a father, you will understand. If there is a way to save your children, you would do anything." Catelyn laid her hand on Robb's forearm, amazing as how much of a man her eldest had become.

"Do you think that Tywin Lannister would declare defeat to have the Kingslayer returned? Fathers are not led by their hearts like mothers, they would not make sacrifices for their children."

"Your father did." It was barely more than a whisper, but Robb felt as if Catelyn had shouted the words at him. The King in the North wanted to push his mother's love away, to rise from his seat and be gone from Winterfell. In that moment, it was overwhelming. Winterfell, talking of the past, Catelyn mentioning his father. The King wanted to be nothing but a boy, he wanted to stop fighting and settle back into life at Winterfell. He wanted things to be like they once were. But Robb knew that he would never see that life again, he would never be able to stop fighting. Not until his death, would Robb Stark see a moment of peace.

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Melara once again sat on the furs in Stannis's room with only her infant sons for company, even though both babes lay asleep near her feet. The early morning visit to Shireen had been unnerving and distracting. She felt such a pity for the sad girl that it made Melara ache. _Would that have been me if Father would not have sent me away?_ The question brought many images to Melara's mind, different futures that she could have had. And none of them involved being with Jaime. _He was a Kingsguard, only released from his vows so that he could be another pawn in Tywin's game._

Melara pictured Jaime as she had seen him walking through the halls of King's Landing. She remembered the kiss they had shared in the hall. The first time they made love. The look of happiness he wore the next morning. Instead of these images bringing tears, they instead brought a smile to Melara's face. _I will have those memories forever. No matter what happens, no one can take them away._ Melara was lost in her mind for only a few moments, the sound of Stannis entering the room bringing her back to her senses.

"You seem happy this afternoon." Melara turned her heads towards her father, bringing a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. She stood, carefully to not disturb the sleeping babes, and made her way to where her father stood near small round table. When he spoke again, Melara was surprised to see that Stannis had lowered his voice. "Your sister is happy as well, from what I'm told."

"Good. She's a sweet thing. Deserves to be happy." Stannis nodded at Melara's words as he sat at his table, gesturing with his hand for Melara to sit as well. She hesitated for a moment, trusting her father less than she had a few days ago, but did fill the seat nearest to Stannis. "What will happen to her once you've taken King's Landing? And what will happen to me, for that matter."

"Shireen will travel South, to Storm's End. She will be…safer there."

"And when she is of age to wed? Will her husband become Lord of Storm's End?" Melara saw the way that Stannis clenched his jaw, she could only imagine that he was grinding his teeth, and she thought she had spoken too much. She opened her mouth to apologize, but instead turned the conversation into a different direction. "Shireen said you told her that I was a beautiful well-behaved Lady. Referring to when I was younger, of course."

"You were a well-behaved Lady. Once Lady Stark had you under control."

"You mean after I had my spirit raped out of me?" Melara bit her quick tongue, knowing that now was the time for an apology lest she ruin the progress she had made towards her goal of freedom. "Forgive me, Father. It—"

"No need, girl. Save your explanation."

"How…How did you know? That I was well-behaved, I mean." Melara did not meet Stannis's eyes, but instead kept her gazed locked on the table before her. "I mean, I still _am_ well behaved. Depending on the circumstances."

"Lady Stark was kind enough to send a raven with your progress." Melara's head snapped up at hearing Stannis's words. She had spent many years in Winterfell, and many of the early years saw her watching for any raven that came. Hoping, wishing that just one would be a kind word from her family back home.

"Did you ever write back?"

"No. We thought it better that you settled into your new home without letters bringing up memories of why you were in Winterfell to begin with." Melara dumbly nodded her head, not sure why Stannis was sharing this all with her. The man that sat next to her, having a decent conversation with her, was the father she had dreamt of, the man who would be like Eddard Stark. "I did write once, nearly a year ago. Asking that you return South with Robert and his party."

"I did get that letter, and I did travel to King's Landing." Melara cast her eyes down to look at the table once more. "But you were not there, you did not come. Why?"

"Renly. He sent a raven saying you had found a suitor and you would best be left alone in King's Landing." Melara felt a weight fall into her stomach listening to her father speak like this, as if Stannis actually cared for her. "He did not mention the name, though. No, Renly was always one for dramatics."

"And…when you discovered that suitor was—" Melara stopped short, knowing that she was pushing the conversation too far. She glanced up at Stannis to see his reaction but he was not looking at Melara, instead he stared at her sleeping sons.

"None of that will matter. History will be written the way I tell it. Steffon is seen as my son, ravens have been sent with the proclamation." Melara bit the end of her tongue to distract her from the urge to slap Stannis as he referred to _her_ son as his, and by the incorrect name. She willed her body to not show any reaction, knowing that Stannis would pick up on any clues to her deceit. "There will be many that know he is from your womb, but not of my seed."

"And those that know this will dispute his claim to the Throne just as you disputed Joffrey's claim, and now Tommen's as well."

"I do not plan on dying until he is established as the next King and the Baratheon line continues to hold the Throne. Any whispers that I hear of that treachery will be dealt with immediately and with force."

"Yes, of course, Father." One of the babes let out a small whine and Melara rose to her feet without a thought. She recognized the cry from Joseth and quickly picked him up and brought him away from where Ryam still slept peacefully. Stannis did not acknowledge Melara's return, and she assumed that their conversation was over. It truly amazed her to realize how civil their conversations were becoming. But Melara had to keep reminding herself that this man was the reason she had to play this part, to fight for her family's freedom. She _had_ to remember who she was. _For Jaime. For Ryam. For Joseth._

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	25. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Thanks for the continued support! On to the next chapter!

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"A coat of gold…or a coat of red…a lion still ha—"

"Will you _please_ stop. Your. Singing." Brienne was nearing the point of offing the Kingslayer just to be rid of his presence. The two had been locked in the same room without being allowed to leave, if not for the escape plan they had been crafting, Brienne would have sent Jaime back to the dungeon for even a moment of silence.

"You didn't like my humming, and now my singing offends you?" Jaime stood from his chair, liking his freedom more than he would ever admit to anyone, and made his way towards where Brienne stood near the door of the room. _At least in the dungeon I knew that I was a prisoner, now I am just being left to my devices with Brienne. What caused Stannis to release me, yet lock me in this room. _ Jaime had been worried what the reason might be, but instead of voice his worries, he took to distracting himself. "Is there anything that you will allow me to do, my Lady?"

"Sit. Quietly."

Jaime continued towards the door, walking past Brienne without acknowledgement that he had heard her speak. He placed his head close to the door, straining to hear anything the guards outside the door may be saying. Complete silence fell on his ears, and so he backed away from the door.

"One of us needs to get out there." Jaime did not turn to face Brienne as he spoke his thoughts. "Even if just for a moment. The boy, Gendry, needs to be given instruction. If you request an audience with the fair Lady Stark, it may raise suspicion." Brienne remained silent as Jaime took a moment of pause, allowing him to gather his thoughts before he spoke again. "No matter whom either of us requests an audience with, a suspicion will be raised." Jaime stood up a bit taller, a smirk appearing face as he turned to finally face Brienne. "Lady Brienne…I want you to hit me." His words caused the smallest of smirks to show on Brienne's lips before she opened her mouth to speak.

"Gladly."

When Brienne took the first swing at Jaime, he instinctively ducked out of the way before raising his own fist towards her. Jaime was not surprised that Brienne avoided the impact, but was surprised when her fist make contact with his stomach. Jaime's thoughts all stopped as his body took over, his muscles knowing which way to move in order to strike back. The pair began a brawl that started out slowly, that was sloppy, but eventually Jaime was able to throw Brienne in the direction of the door. Jaime felt the sting of where her throws had landed and it took him back to another place, another time, when fighting with his bare hands would have been beneath him. _Nothing is beneath me if it means escaping with my family._ Jaime quickly looked near his feet to find some sort of weapon, but could only see the boots he wore on his feet. He charged towards Brienne with his full strength, driving her back into the wooden door. Brienne was able to recover faster and gained the upper hand by bringing her knee into Jaime stomach, aiming for what she hoped would now be a weakened spot.

On the other side of the door, the three guards posted heard the sounds of a struggle but other than wagering if the Maid of Tarth of the Kingslayer would be victorious the guards did not move to open the door. Jaime had been counting on the fact that the men were told to keep Brienne and him alive and they would open the door to separate them. Even as he took another blow to his face, Jaime would not give up his plan to have their door opened.

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"Ah!" Melara gave an involuntary sound of pain as her sister's head came in contact with her still tender and healing stomach. The noise must have frightened Shireen, because the girl pulled back from her embrace. Melara had requested to see her sister again and Stannis had granted his permission, with the condition that the infants remain behind lest they catch the same disease Shireen had barely survived.

"Do you still hurt? From delivering your sons?"

"Only a little. But with time it will heal." Shireen remained quiet as she fully pulled away from Melara, knowing that their time together had once again come to an end. The young girl had been glowing with happiness upon seeing her sister so soon after they had just met. Shireen now had a spark of hope within her that once the war was over they could be together as family. Melara removed her arms from Shireen and the girls bid their farewells, with promises to meet again soon. She started her short walk back to Stannis's rooms with her four-man guard surrounding her. None of the guards spoke to her, and she had yet to offer them any words as well. As the small group traveled in silence, raised voices and hurried footsteps could be heard in the distance. Melara's instincts took over and she instantly took off in a run towards her babes, hating herself for leaving them if only for a moment. The guards behind her took chase, their armor and voices sounding through the halls but not reaching Melara's ears.

She turned into the hallway that led to Stannis's rooms and she halted, holding her stomach and gasping for air. She watched as Stannis entered his room with the Red Woman closely behind him. Melara watched as Robb walked away in what she assumed was anger, wondering what had caused Robb and Stannis to argue in such a way. A sharp pain from her middle brought her back to her sense and she made her way the fastest she could to Stannis's room. She did not need to ask the guards to allow her entrance, the door being opened for her as soon as she came in to sight.

"Get out!" Stannis's voice was tense, full of anger, as he addressed the woman who had been watching over Joseth and Ryam. She nearly ran Melara over in her haste to get away from the intimidating man. The sound of the door slamming made Melara jump slightly, her nerves still on edge from thinking her sons were in danger. In the near silent room, her light footfalls seemed to her ears that they were boulders crashing against the stone floor. She averted her gaze from where her father and Melisandre stood, not wanted to receive the wrath of her father and setting her escape plan back. Melara heard the Red Woman's soft, soothing murmurs, but it did not calm Melara in the least. It seemed that it had the same effect of her father as well. "That boy is a fool! I have kept my end of our bargain, who is he to change the terms!"

"My King, we do not need that pup any longer. We have everything the Lord of Light requires to bring about your victory." Melara knelt into the furs by the fire and pulled Ryam into her arms as he started to whine, hoping that Melisandre and Stannis would continue to speak without acknowledging her. "You need to prove your trust in Him if you are to continue to receive his favor."

"What more could this Red God require of me?"

"When He is ready to show us, we will know." Melisandre came to stand behind Stannis and brought her lips close to his ear. Melara chanced a look in their direction, and saw the way the Red Woman stood with such familiarity next to Stannis. Melara narrowed her eyes, and as if she could feel the hateful glare on her, Melisandre turned her eyes in Melara's direction. The two women locked their stares onto each other and neither backed down for a moment until Melisandre gave a smile and pulled away from Stannis. "You have much to discuss with your daughter, my King." Stannis seemed to have forgotten they were not alone in the room and spun around to look at his daughter. Melisandrea gave a bow of her head towards Stannis and another towards Melara as she walked towards the door. Before she was fully out in the hall, Melisandre turned to address Melara. "You hold a very important babe in your arms, Princess." The Red Woman did not wait for a response and left Melara nearly stunned at the title that she had been called.

"Lady Melisandre speaks very highly of you. Always thankful for the gift you have given me." Melara knew that the gift he was referring to was Ryam. She took a calming breath, her breath having slowed, before she addressed Stannis. It was time to put her armor on and play the part she had created.

"Lady Melisandre is very kind to say such things. I am thankful to her for looking past any treachery I have performed towards you, Father."

"She puts the blame on to the Lannisters for your traitorous ways. You were misguided but now you have come back, looking for redemption." Melara sent a silent thanks to Melisandre for the whispers she put into Stannis's ear. It only made things easier for the young woman to follow through with her scheme. Stannis came and stood near Melara's seated form, remaining silent for a moment as he simply stared at his daughter, studying the face that was becoming more familiar to him as each day passed. No longer was this the face of a stranger, of a disrespectful girl that he refused to claim as his own "We will leave Winterfell within the week. Lady Stark insisted that you remain here with her, saying that you are not well enough to travel."

"I believe I am well enough for travel. The babes may still be too young, but I am sure there is a way to keep them safe." Melara felt dread fill her body at the thought of leaving Winterfell, knowing that it was too soon for her escape. Her mind traveled from one thought to the next, images of Jaime flashing through her head. _What will become of Jaime?_ She willed herself to remain calm in front of Stannis, holding in her tears until she was safely locked alone in her room. "How long will we be traveling? How far do you intend to go?"

"King's Landing." Stannis paused for a moment, his eyes traveling from Melara's face to the babe in her lap. As the silence passed on, Stannis thought of all the words he could have spoken, the wisdom he could have shared with the girl he had abandoned. Instead, he said nothing. Allowing another moment in time spent with Melara to slip from him. It was Melara who broke the silence, her voice nearly a whisper.

"What will happen to me?" Melara nearly did not want to know his answer. She had spent hours thinking about what would happen to her should Stannis become victorious before she could escape. She knew the first thing to happen would be Jaime being put to death with whatever Lannisters remained. What would happen to her next was a question that haunted her nightmares. _Sold away in marriage? Locked away as he keeps Shireen locked away?_ Melara held her breath, bracing herself to hear what fate Stannis had chosen for her.

"I have more important matters to attend to than deciding one _girl's_ future."

Melara let out a slow, shaky breath as Stannis walked away from her, hearing the slight tone of anger in his voice. She was becoming more confused by her father's behavior towards her with each discussion they had. She watched him walk over to the table where his maps sat opened. She saw the way his hands gripped harder than necessary, and could see the tension in his jaw where he surely was clenching his teeth. Melara set Ryam down, hesitating a moment before steeling her nerves and standing. She quietly made her way to where Stannis stood, putting her smaller hand over his clenched fist. The touch made Stannis jolt, pulling his hand from her loose grip.

"Father?"

That one word, spoken in question, was the final push Stannis needed into anger once more. He swept the maps from the table, the force sending the parchment flying across the room. He pounded his hands, now balled into fists, on the table before turning his eyes onto her. She had taken a few quick steps back, but fully turned to run when Stannis began to advance on her. He grabbed her upper arms and stopped her escape before she could get away, his grip tight enough to force a cry of pain from her lips.

"You'll be put to death for treason against the crown! Is THAT what you wanted to hear? Your head will sit on a pike next to the other Lannisters!" Stannis shoved Melara away from him, the girl stumbling before falling to her knees. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but Stannis had turned away from her once more and did not see. He spoke again, his voice calmer but still holding a tone that teetered on madness. "If you are spared…it will be a show of my weakness."

"And if you kill me, _slaughter me,_ for trying to find a way to survive after being abandoned again and again…it will be a show of your madness." Melara pushed herself to her feet, moving with determination towards her father's turned back. She brought her hands to his arm, using what strength she had to turn him, force him, to look at her. If he saw the tears that fell from her eyes, he did not acknowledge them. "You will be King! What would killing your daughter show to the people, _your_ people?"

"It would not be the people that call for your death but those that fight beside me." Melara released Stannis but did not move away from him. His hard eyes bore down into her weeping ones, both frightened at what they saw in each other. Melara let out a gasp, the realization hitting her hard.

"It's _her_! That Red Harlot is the _one who fights beside you_ that calls for my death! You would throw my life away so easily? AGAIN! Am I really nothing to you? Have I not _tried_ hard enough for you?" Melara felt all the anger, all the hatred, all the fear, take over her mind. Her father had just confessed to agreeing to her murder and stood before her without looking guilty or filled with remorse. "That is what _this," _Melara motioned with her hand towards her sons, "is all about. Taking me to see Shireen, keeping me close to you. You are trying to make my last remaining months alive just what I wanted, just what _you think_ I want! Is it so you can kill me without hating yourself? So you can tell yourself each night that my last living months were filled with joy and love and you were the _best _father any daughter could ask for!"

"Enough!" The sound of Stannis's voice nearly drowned out the sound of the back of his hand connecting with Melara's face. Her head had been forced to the side from the strength of the slap, but Melara turned back to look at Stannnis, slowly bringing her hand up to cup her stinging cheek. "Enough, Melara." The unexpected tenderness that laced Stannis's voice was what started Melara's hot tears to run once more down her face. Stannis brought his hands up once more, causing Melara to flinch, but instead of striking her again he pulled her into an embrace. Melara did not fight him and nearly collapsed against him as her body shook from sobs. Stannis's voice was barely a whisper as he spoke. "I never wanted any of this for you." Stannis held Melara in his arms for a few moments, releasing her only once her cries had quieted.

"If I am truly to die, please allow me to see Jaime…if only one last time… before we leave Winterfell." Melara turned away from her father, her future murderer, and walked back to her children. As she sat, she heard Stannis exiting his room. And in that moment, Melara hoped that he never returned.

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Melara had finally closed her eyes once more after feeding Ryam when she heard the voices of the guards outside her door become raised. Without hesitation, the young mother was on her feet and ready to defend herself and her children with any weapon she could construct. She had retired to her room hours ago without seeing Stannis after their…disagreement. She couldn't be sure just how early in the day it was at the time, but knew that it was trouble gathering on the other side of her door. _Gods help me._ Melara ran to her sleeping sons in their shared cradle and moved them into her arms, shushing them to keep quiet. If whatever fight was breaking out in the hall spilled into her room, it would end in the same way the last did. _I am a prisoner either way, really. Better to stay with the evil I know. _An image of Stannis flashed in Melara's mind. But instead of her mind showing her the images of the fight they had hours ago, it showed him as he escorted her to see Shireen. As the father that she had wanted, had hoped would be real, but would never have.

The door opened quickly, startling Melara back into her present situation. Her grip tightened on her sons as a lone man, wearing the sigil of her father, ran into the room. Once he removed his helmet, it was easy for Melara to make out Gendry's face even in the low light.

"We have to leave. Grab only what you can carry, don't ask questions." Melara jumped into action and set her sons down for only a moment, grabbing a sack and wrapping her sons tightly in a blanket. Gendry took hold of the sack Melara had kept filled with supplies, for situations like this that she knew would arise, while the young woman held her babes tightly to her chest. Gendry ran to the door with Melara closely behind. When they arrived, Melara could see a familiar face in the hall.

"Jon?" The man did not respond but Melara knew it was Jon Snow who had fought with Gendry to get to her. She pushed her confusion aside, trusting in both of these men, and remained quiet and they quickly ran from her room. Melara did not look back at the prison she had been given. The halls were quiet and empty, but Melara hardly noticed as she ran behind Jon and Gendry, her eyes darting between the swords the men still had drawn.

As they ran farther, Melara began to recognize where they were headed. She knew that her freedom was close, and she willed her legs to move faster, for her lungs to take in more air. It all felt like a dream to her, felt as if she was not really running from her father, from her imminent death, and into freedom. She did not care in that moment where she went, as long as her sons, her Jaime, were safe. The thought of Jaime caused Melara to slow to a near halt.

"I…I can't…Jaime…"

"He's waiting. Run." Gendry's words spurred Melara back into a full run, not caring how this moment came upon her or what God granted it to happen. When they began to descend the spiral staircase that would lead them to the kitchens, Melara nearly fainted from the pain in her body, but she continued on. As they ran through the kitchen, the women working did nothing to stop them. When they ran out into the cold night air, Melara's lungs burned and her legs felt heavier with each step but she carried on. She was ready to collapse by the time Jaime came into view, sitting atop his horse dressed in the same matter as the wildings who had accompanied her to Winterfell had been. Melara saw no other horses, but did not stop to voice her questions, not entirely sure she could physically speak at this moment.

"Lift her up to me." When Melara was close enough, Jon and Gendry lifted her into Jaime's arms, helping to adjust her body on the saddle in front of him. He was cradling her in the same way that she cradled their sons. When Jaime spoke again, although it was next to her ear, his voice sounded far away, her body was tingling from pain and her breaths coming so fast she was unable to speak. "I will repay you for your help." Jaime nudged his horse forward, leaving no time for Melara to say her farewells or thanks. She adjusted Joseth and Ryam in her arms, praying that this was not just a dream. She turned her head slightly to look up at Jaime.

"H-…how…" In the early, silent hours of the morning the only thing that could be heard besides Melara's whispered word was the sounds of their escape to freedom. Jaime understood what she was asking, but would tell her everything when they were far enough away, close enough to safety. For now he would settle with telling her the main reason that they were now galloping to only the God's knew where.

"King Stannis…is dead."

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Uh-oh.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

I know I say this every time…but thank you for reading and reviewing! We've cracked the 200 review mark, and that is truly amazing. Plus, thank you for favoriting and following my stories and me. Enjoy!

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Melara's eyes drifted closed as she sat safely in Jaime's arms atop his steed. The horse's gait was fast but smooth, soothing Melara into a light sleep. When her eyes closed it seemed to Melara that days had passed, but as the horse was pulled from a canter to a walk and her eyes opened, she could tell from the sun it couldn't have been more than an hour since they departed Winterfell.

"We have a good start on them." Melara turned her tired eyes upon her husband, still not fully believing she was with him again. He did not look at her but kept his wits sharp and continually shifted his eyes, watching for any sign of danger. "But it will not be enough. They will find us if we aren't careful."

"They?"

"Yes, they. I'm not sure just who 'they' will be. I'm sure that Robb Stark will send a few men, Lady Stark might even lead the charge herself." Jaime dropped his gaze down to his wife for only a second before looking back in front of him again. "She really does enjoy when I am in captivity. Now that I am free, for the second time, she will not be happy about that. Then again, Lady Brienne won't be too happy I've gone and left her. I do think she will be a _bit_ upset with me when she awakens. And of course that terrible Red Woman will—." Jaime stopped short when he heard Melara's sudden, sharp intake of breath. He looked at her, studying her every detail as if it would be the last time he would look upon her face. Melara stared back at him with tears beginning to pool in her eyes.

"King Stannis is…dead."

"Yes."

"My…Father…is dead."

"Yes, Sweet Girl." Jaime wanted to look away from her as her tears spilled over and the first sob escaped her lips. It was not as if he had expected Melara to dance with joy upon hearing of her father's passing, but Jaime didn't think she would shed tears given what Stannis's last words to his daughter were. _What will she do when I tell her?_ Jaime remained silent, knowing that any words he spoke in that moment would only bring more tears. The Kingslayer was learning when to hold his tongue, but only when it was for his sweet wife.

Melara could not stop hearing every word that Stannis had said to her during their last argument. _Was is only just yesterday when he struck me and then held me close? What did he mean when he told me he never wanted any of this for me? What did he want for me?_ Melara did not understand why her mind was torturing her with questions that she now would never know the answers to. But one question that burned in her mind, she would be able to have an answer.

"How?" Jaime urged his horse into a trot, his hold tightening on Melara instinctively. He had hoped that she would not yet ask him how, that she would not care to know how the man who would march her straight to her own murder had died. "Jaime?"

"Not here, love. I will tell you everything, answer any questions you may have…but not here. Not until we are safe."

"Oh, Jaime. We will never truly be safe." Jaime agreed with Melara, but instead of responding he urged his horse faster, willing the beast to take them away from the danger that surely lurked behind them.

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Winterfell had, once again, been thrown into chaos. As the rumors of Stannis's death flowed through the halls on the wind, all of the inhabitants had become increasingly uneasy. No one had been allowed near the King's room, or the room that had been Melara's. Each person had a tale to tell, and each person was eager to listen.

"—heard that the elder one got Greyscale from the younger one—"

"—Red Woman has him locked up—"

"—Boltons are both gone—"

"—haven't heard the cries of the babes—"

"—Stark had his men kill our King—"

Robb heard his name cross many lips as he made his way through the halls and to Stannis's bed chamber. When he had met Stannis just the day before, they had a fierce discussion about their next move. This ended in Stannis storming from the room because of Robb's wish to remain in the North. Now that Stannis was dead, he knew the Baratheon men would believe that Robb had slain Stannis in order to break his oath to see Stannis put on the Iron Throne. The closer he traveled to Stannis's room, the more guards he discovered. Robb's own guards remained close and their King's side, ready to defend him should the need arise. As Stannis's door came into his view, Robb watched as Melisandre closed the door behind her. She turned to him, her demeanor not giving away that any of the rumors were true.

"I'm sorry but King Stannis is not receiving anyone today." Melisandre did not move from her place in front of the door, even as Robb came closer. "Forgive me, my King, but—"

"You have never called me 'your King', my Lady. Why start now?"

"Are you not King of the North? Are we not in the North?" Melisandre let a smile cross her lips as she took a small step forward, her hands coming to rest on Robb's forearms. "What would you have me call you if not 'my King'?"

"'Your Grace', will do fine, my Lady." Robb shifted his body enough that Melisandre's hands fell from him, no longer near enough to touch him. "Now, I am requesting a meeting with Stannis. Today." Robb lowered his voice, his head tipping forward slightly to keep the guards from hearing. "If he is truly dead, I will need to offer protection to his daughters, his wife and you, my Lady. Lies and riddles have no place in Winterfell. Speak neither to me while you are in my home, and you may survive." Robb gave Melisandre a nod before turning his back on her and walking away in the direction from where he had come.

When Robb was out of her sight, Melisandre turned and entered Stannis's bed chamber once more. The windows had all been sealed and the only light came from the glow of the many lit torches that now lined the walls. The Red Woman slowly moved through the room, taking her time to run her hands along the back of the chairs and the top of the table. Her gaze strayed from one torch to another, the flames dancing in her eyes as she made her way to the bed where Stannis was laid.

"My King." Melisandre stood at the foot of the bed, her hands laying on Stannis's booted feet. "It seems that you were not honest and true with me. Nor with the Lord of Light." She moved around the side of the bed, her fingers dancing along Stannis's leg, moving to his torso before she arrived at the head of the bed and placed her hands on Stannis's still bloody neck. She gently caressed the open wound and she bent down to place a soft kiss to Stannis's forehead. Melisandre knelt on the floor next to the bed, laying her head on the pillow with her lips near her King's ear. Her voice was kept to a whisper as she spoke, her eyes falling closed. "This is your punishment, my King, but my reward. The power of a King's blood grows with their death." Melisandre lifted her fingers, coated in blood, and opened her eyes to see the deep red liquid drip back onto Stannis. "Your death will be avenged, my King. Your enemies will pay, for I have seen it in the flames."

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Brienne let out a soft groan as she slowly became conscious. The silence in the room told her that Jaime Lannister was not in their room turned prison, and the ache in her head made her assume that Jaime had decided a change of plans was in order. She slowly opened her eyes, noticing the amount of light that came through the single window and judging that it was near mid-morning. Brienne slowly pushed her body from the ground, her joints cracking in protest at being moved, and simply sat for a moment to get her bearings. She took in the state of the room with a seriously look on her face, noting that they had nearly destroyed everything in an attempt to get the guards to open the door and stop their fight.

Jaime must have realized after the fourth broken piece of furniture that nothing would make the guards open the door. Brienne could tell from the lump that was sure to sprout on her head that he had made a new plan without informing her. _Typical Kingslayer._ Brienne could only assume that whatever Jaime had changed their plan to, that it had not worked since she was still being kept as a prisoner. She pushed herself to stand, closing her eyes tightly as the blood pounded behind her eyes. As her body became accustomed to the waking world, Brienne couldn't help but curse Jaime Lannister and hope that she would see him, if only once more, to repay the throbbing she was feeling from the blow he had dealt.

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Melara and Jaime traveled for many hours in near silence until Ryam awoke, shortly followed by Joseth waking as well. Jaime slowed his horse and dismounted, steadying Melara so that she would not lose her balance and fall from their steed. He quickly took hold of Melara and gently guided her body to stand before him, their sons safely held between them. Jaime took hold of Joseth, the quieter of the two babes, and held him close as Melara offeedr Ryam her breast. They had been traveling through the thick of a forest, as Jaime felt it safer to avoid the King's Road, and they did not need to hide. As they stood surrounded by nothing but trees, Jaime took a moment to relax. He let out a huff of air as he watched the peaceful look that fell on Melara's face. The noise caught her attention, and Melara lifted her gaze from Ryam to look at Jaime.

"Did you fight your way from your room?" Melara shifted Ryam into one arm and she lifted her free hand to Jaime's temple, softly caressing the bruised flesh. "Your face will swell more still, no one will recognize you."

"Good. We don't need to be recognized. We have Lady Brienne to thank for my…disguise."

"Brienne?" Melara pulled her hand back to support Ryam. "So you were released into her charge."

"Your doing, I suppose? However did you manage that one?" Jaime took a step forward and placed a quick kiss to Melara's forehead, careful of the infants in both their arms. "Never mind. It really isn't important, is it? Not right now." He placed another kiss to Melara's forehead, then another to her temple. Melara turned her head to face him, allowing Jaime to capture her lips with his own in a gentle kiss. When they parted, Melara had a worried look on her face.

"Jaime, where will we go?"

"You mean tonight? We will ride through until we need to stop for food."

"I mean tonight and the night after and every night that follows." Melara looked from Joseth, content and drifting back to sleep in Jaime's arms, to Ryam whose eyes were closed while he nursed. "If it were you and I alone we could ride for days, we could survive without a fire at night in the North. But our sons cannot." Jaime knew that Melara spoke the truth, but also knew that if they stopped for the night it would mean less distance between them and Winterfell.

"We are still far in the North, any shelter we find will lead us back to Winterfell. By now ravens and messengers have been sent out, and I'm sure that scouts are not far behind." Melara nodded her head, but a frown fell upon her lips. Joseth began to fuss, and Melara started to unlatch Ryam in order to feed his brother. The boys had gotten much bigger from the last that Jaime had seen them, but Joseth was still smaller than Ryam. Jaime switched babes with Melara, and the pair remained in silence as the smaller babe ate his fill. After he had finished nursing, Melara handed Joseth to Jaime to relieve her aching arms.

Melara walked a few steps away, stretching her arms and legs as she slowly walked. Each step she took brought a new image, a new though to her mind. The words her father had spoken to her still rang in her mind. _I never wanted this for you._ Melara closed her eyes, imaging what her life would now be. It would be a life on the run, a life without family. It would be hard and terrifying and risky. _It will be too much. How we will live like this?_ Melara opened her eyes, staring in the direction in which they came. The snow covered trees danced in the slight wind but the path before her was calm. _There is still time to go back._ Melara felt a weakness overcome her mind, but only for a moment. _What will I go back to? There is nothing for me in that life now._ Melara turned back to face Jaime, watching him stand before her with their sons in his arms. He stood silently watching her, and Melara hoped that he would never know her weak thoughts. _After all he has done to get here with me. How could I ever break out family apart?_ She smiled then, not sure if she was happy or if she simply wanted to see Jaime smile at her.

"I trust you, Jaime. Do what you think is best for our family." Jaime smiled at his wife as she moved closer to him, knowing that soon he would need to tell her everything about their escape. _But for now, we will enjoy our peace._ He allowed Melara to once again take hold of their sons as he led the horse to a tall tree stump. Melara stood atop the stump as Jaime mounted then they carefully managed to get her seated back in his arms, their sons once again nestling into Melara's chest. Jaime removed his heavy cloak and Melara used it as a blanket to keep the cold from touching the babes.

They rode in that manner throughout the day, stopping for a short rest only when the babes called for milk. Jaime and Melara ate bits of bread and drank water from a flash sparingly, neither knowing when they would next find food or more water. When they arrived at the edge of the woods, the sun had sunk low in the sky. Jaime brought his horse to a walk and they slowly made their way into the clearing. Jaime saw smoke rising in the distance and hesitated at moving any closer. He pulled his horse to a halt and carefully dismounted. Jaime helped Melara to sit in the saddle before taking hold of the reins and leading his horse slowly closer. He noticed the way the beast's movements had slowed and he doubted the horse would make it through another day of travel without rest.

"We must be on the outskirts of House Cerwyn's lands. The smoke is too small to come from anything but a farmer's hearth." Jaime continued to lead the horse as dusk began to fall. "I may have to kill whoever lives here so that we may have shelter for the night." Jaime braced himself for Melara's protests, but was surprised to hear none. He continued to bring them closer, a small cottage barely visible in the distance. When they were close enough to the farm to be stopped by a wooden fence, Jaime turned to Melara, narrowing his eyes in order to see her face. "Stay here while I pay a visit to these land owners."

Jaime helped Melara to dismount, tying the horse's reins to the fence even knowing that the beast would not try to run. He took a pair of daggers from one of the packs on the saddle before climbing over the fence and running towards the small dwelling. It seemed like hours had begun to pass as Melara anxiously waited for any sign of Jaime's return. She prayed to every God that would listen that he would return to her and he would not have killed innocent people. She rocked her sons in the hope that they would remain silent as the darkness consumed her with the setting of the sun. Melara was finally able to see a torch in the distance making its way towards her. She heard Jaime calling to her, and she wasted no time responding.

Once he made it back to her, Jaime helped his wife to get to the other side of the fence before taking his saddle and bridle from his horse. Melara questioned how they would survive if he abandoned his horse, to which he responded that the beast would not make it another day. Melara followed Jaime through the snow as they made their way to the cottage, her carrying the babes and him carrying the saddle and packs while leading the way with the torch. When they were close enough to the door, Melara could make out an elderly woman standing in the doorway tightly wrapped in furs.

"Come quick, now, before I change my mind." The old woman's voice was friendly but she had a sharp look to her that made Melara pick up her pace behind Jaime. He walked through the threshold with Melara close behind, the old woman closing the door tightly behind them. "Put your packs in the room to the left, boy." Jaime bit his tongue and did as he was told, leaving Melara alone with the old woman for a moment.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lady…?" The old woman turned her eyes onto Melara and snorted before moving to sit in a chair near the fire.

"Not a Lady, just call me Old Crone. Any that step through my door call me that. Only two men have called me different and they've passed on." The crone's hair had completely grayed and her face wore many wrinkles but Melara was surprised to see the spark still shining in the woman's green eyes. "This damn war took both my husband and my son."

"This war nearly took my own husband and sons, if not for your kindness this night I feel that the cold would have took our sons' lives." Melara caught Jaime's eye from across the room as he gave her a slight nod, a silent urge to continue to spin a tale for the crone. "I am not sure what my husband has told you…oh, I am not even sure I should say anything. It may be safer for both of us." The crone, who stood nearly as tall as Melara, came close to the young woman.

"Girl, listen to me. I've been alone in this damn place for months without another soul knocking at my door. Tell me or don't, either way no one else will hear." The old woman placed a slightly shaking hand on Melara's arm. "But indulging an old woman with a story for the night would be kind."

The crone gave Melara a crooked smile before she turned and slowly made her way to a chair near the fire. Jaime walked towards Melara, his hands now empty and waiting to receive his sons. During the walk, Joseth had fallen asleep but Ryam's wide blue eyes took in the sights around him. Jaime took both babes and walked back into the room that Melara assumed they had been given for the night. Melara allowed her eyes to sweep the room she was standing in, noticing that it served at a sitting room, a kitchen and a dining hall. Besides the door that Jaime had left through just a moment ago, another door stood on the right side of the dwelling. Melara assumed that led to another room with a bed for the crone. Jaime had yet to return, causing Melara to find herself seated by the crone and staring into the fire.

"Thank you for your kindness. I truly mean those words."

"Polite little thing, you are. So proper." The crone lifted a mug from the floor and took a deep drink, wiping the moisture from her lips with the back of her hand. "Weren't raised on any farm or inn, where ya? Had all," the crone motioned widely with her arms, some of her drink spilling to the floor, "the luxuries of shiny trinkets and whatever wealth brings."

"Forgive me, but you are wrong. I am just a bastard girl from the North who was lucky. The Starks employed my mother in their kitchens." The crone let out a snort. "Does my past amuse you, Crone?"

"'_Does my past amuse you, Crone?'_ Deary, you are as much as a bastard as your husband is a…what lie did he tell?" The crone narrowed her eyes in concentration, rubbing her chin in thought. "A smith? No, no, no. That would be too easy of a lie." The old woman slapped her leg with her free hand. "A 'simple soldier', that's what he said. That," she motioned towards the room Jaime had yet to appear from, "is no _simple soldier_. His build is too large and he is too arrogant to take command from anyone." It was Melara's turn to snort, the sound escaping before she could stop it.

"Forgive m—"

"If ya keep asking for damn forgiveness I won't have any left to give."

"Crone, you are mistaken. While my husband is...can be arrogant, he is simply a soldier in King Robb's arm—"

"THAT man? From the North? Oh, deary, your lies are terrible." She took another deep drink from her mug, offering it to Melara once she had finished. "So tell me what a bastard from the North and a soldier in King Robb's army doing running from Winterfell?"

"I did not say my husband is _from_ the North. He served House Mallister of Seagard." Melara's tongue did not feel heavy as the lies poured from her mouth. "King Robb has generously granted my husband and me leave to—"

"Return you and your babes to the Riverlands, of course."

"If all you were going to do was mock me, why did you ask to hear my tale?"

"I didn't ask, deary, you offered me your poorly thought story." The crone dropped her voice and leaned her body towards Melara. "If you expect to survive, I suggest you change your story." She jerked her head in the direction of where Jaime had stayed behind the closed door. "Go join your husband, deary. Tonight may be the last night with a roof over your heads for a long time. Take my kindness as a gift, but don't waste this gift and be captured within the week."

Melara stood without speaking another word to the crone, nearly stomping to the room in anger and slight confusion. She quietly opened the door to find the room in near darkness, the only light coming from a small candle sitting on a table near the bed. She closed the door behind her just as quietly as she had opened it, watching Jaime stand over his sons as they lay asleep on a pile of furs. Melara walked over to stand next to Jaime, slipping her hand into his and entwining their fingers. They stood in silence for another moment as they watched their sleeping sons, peace falling over both of them. Jaime turned to face Melara, bringing his free hand to her shoulder in order to turn her body towards his. His voice was barely a whisper when he spoke.

"Old Crone must have believed your tale. She agreed to allow us to stay here only if you could convince her that your story was true. You must have become a much better liar, Sweet Girl." Melara wanted to speak, to tell him that the crone had seen through her lies, but before she could open her mouth, Jaime claimed her lips with his own. His hands began to roam her body and hers clung to his tunic. Melara pulled her head back slightly, her gasp for breath nearly silent as Jaime moved his lips along her jaw and to her neck. Melara turned her head to the side as Jaime gently pulled her hair and clothing away from the path he would create with his lips. Melara felt her skin heat as Jaime began to untie her cloak, the thick furs piling at her feet. When Jaime pulled away and started to untie her dress, Melara placed her hands over his to halt his movements.

"Jaime, please, tell me how we were able to escape. Tell me of my father's death." The whispered words hung in the air for a moment before Jaime laid his forehead against hers.

"Melara, we have a long way to travel and plenty of time for talk. But we don't know when we will have the next roof above our heads. _I_ don't know when I will next be able to have you. I will answer your questions later, but now, please, let us just have this night to be husband and wife." Melara moved her hands away and allowed Jaime to untie her gown, their eyes never leaving each other's faces.

"Jaime…even if it is just for this night…make me forget everything."

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